Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 9-24-21

Feature
Leaders Meet To Discuss:
How To Solve Rising Gun Violence In County
BY MONIQUE STAMPS Sentinel Staff Writer
Hillsborough County com- missioners, key law enforce- ment officials, city and state elected officials, school board members and activists partic- ipated in a virtual retreat on gun violence.
Last Friday’s event was hosted by Hillsborough County Commissioner Gwen Myers as a part of the Com- munity Law Enforcement Workshops and Services (CLEWS) program.
There have been about 24 gun-related homicides in Tampa so far this year, includ- ing the August drive-by death of four-year-old Suni Bell.
The retreat’s sponsors were the Hillsborough County Sher- iff’s Office, CDC of Tampa, and the Casper Company.
The discussion started with St. Petersburg Councilwoman Deborah Figgs-Sanders who was the founder of the Enough is Enough initiative.
The purpose of the initia- tive is to educate, provide re- sources and offer alternatives to solving problems related to violence in Black communities. Figgs-Sanders passionately discussed the impact of her program and others, namely Not My Son, Second Chance, and My Brothers and Sisters Keeper. These programs offer
alternatives to traditional ap- proaches.
Particularly, Enough is Enough has a multi-faceted approach with a focus on advo- cacy, education, job skills training, youth empowerment, and strengthening family structures.
Perhaps the most impact- ful and powerful part of the program was a video shared by CLEWS Manager, Fred Hearns.
In the video, teens attend- ing Tampa Bay Tech learned the difference between “snitching” and reporting a sit- uation that could save some- one’s life. The teens also worked together to brainstorm ideas to curb gun violence. The teens felt that parental in- volvement, gun safety pro- grams, influencing peers, and social media were the most ef- fective tools to prevent gun vi- olence.
Several of the attendees ex- pressed their support for such programming. Ed Narain, Chairmen of the CLEWS Board of Directors, urged par- ticipants to think outside of the box. “We know that gun buy- back programs will work for adults, but we need something different for kids with guns.”
State Rep. Fentrice Driskell emphasized that it is a “all hands on deck” situation and encouraged people to stay
COUNTY COMMISSIONER GWEN MYERS
involved.
Hillsborough County State
Attorney Andrew Warren said he was inspired by some of the comments that he heard, but was also “extremely frus- trated.”
“I'm the one who has to make the phone call to tell the mother that the young man who killed her son is going free because we couldn't get wit- nesses to cooperate,” said Warren.
“And I'm the one who has to call the grieving parents to tell them we can't charge any- one with a crime because we don't have witnesses to give us evidence to overcome ‘(the) Stand Your Ground (law).’”
Johnny Johnson is the
co-founder of Rise Up for Peace, an organization of par- ents who have lost their chil- dren to gun violence. He says people need more than just words.
“We are here. I live this every day, whether this retreat goes on or not,” said John- son. “I walk the streets of East Tampa every day and I hear stories and I see things. We need power. We need support from the elected officials to stand with us.”
Some of the attendees at the virtual retreat were: For- mer Police Chief and now Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, TPD District 3 Major, Calvin Johnson, Director of Hills- borough County Libraries, Andrew Breindenbaugh, State Attorney Andrew War- ren, County Commissioner Harry Cohen, Tampa City Council Chairman Orlando Gudes, Tampa City Council- man Luis Viera, Neighbor- hood & Community Affairs Administrator Ocea Wynn, Bishop Michelle Patty, State Senator Darryl Rou- son, State Representative Di- anne Hart, Chief Judge of the 13th Circuit Ron Ficarrotta, School Board member Henry “Shake” Washington, USF Professor Kathleen Heide, City of Tampa Director of Community Partnership Man- agement Janelle McGregor, School Board member, Lynn Gray, and School Board member, Karen Perez.
Commissioner Myers
says that she was overjoyed
and elated with the number of elected officials who partici- pated on the call. The commis- sioner says that gun education is the basis of a strategic ap- proach to stop gun violence.
Myers stated that St. Pe- tersburg City Council member Figgs-Sanders provided the perfect voice to demonstrate how successful programming can be used to curb gun vio- lence.
At the Hillsborough County Commission Budget meeting on Thursday, Septem- ber 23, 2021, Myers will ask for $50,000 for CLEWS and another $100,000 for Safe and Sound. Myers is asking the City of Tampa to give an addi- tional $25,000 for CLEWS.
Myers wants gun educa- tion to start as early as Head Start and VPK (Voluntary Pre- Kindergarten), then continue all the way through high school. She also wants recre- ational programs in the county and city to provide education to youngsters.
Myers feels it is important to confront Black on Black gun violence as well. One of her plans is to collaborate with the justice system to interview perpetrators of gun violence and find out the reason they choose to use gun violence.
Myers is expanding her multi-faceted approach with many of the participants at the retreat. She is planning to hold another retreat in No- vember to assess the progress made and ensure that momen- tum continues.
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