Dear Citizens of Baltimore City:
My Call to Action to End African American Homicides aims to confront one of the most vexing and critical challenges facing our city: We need to end the violence in our communities.
Even as our police and our community work together to reduce homicides this past year to the second lowest number in a generation, one statistic regarding the victims remains startling. Of the 211 tragic killings in our city last year, 189 of the victims were African American men. Our African American men need to believe in their future. We must be willing to have open and frank conversations about this issue, and those conversations must produce action.
I was particularly inspired by a local meeting that I joined this year on Martin Luther King Day in support of President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative. There was passion and a commitment by everyone in that room. I left the conversation that day with a firm determination to do more.
With this inaugural Call to Action forum—set for Tuesday, March 24, 2015, at 6:00 pm, at Empowerment Temple—we will move ahead with our dialogue. I have assembled a remarkable panel of speakers to launch a substantive conversation and movement. These speakers are both leaders in our community and men with inspirational personal stories. My goal is to have a real discussion about what we as a city are doing right, what we need to do better, and what new ideas and approaches we need to consider. I know there are many successful efforts taking place in all corners of our city. We need to talk to each other, to share our ideas, and to inspire people to step forward and do more to help.
At the forum, representatives from a broad range of non-profit organizations and government agencies will be on hand, offering volunteer opportunities for people who want to help and connections to resources for those who need assistance. Through this call to action, we will recruit men committed to making a difference in the lives of our children to serve as mentors, volunteers, tutors, job training coaches, speakers, and more. We are reaching out to organizations that are already working on this issue, and we will encourage others to join.
Since I announced my Call to Action, the community response has already been extraordinary I have received dozens of emails and phone calls from non-profit organizations, community leaders, members of the faith community, and individuals who are all asking the same two questions: How can we join? and What can we do to help? Thank you to everyone who has contacted us and offered your support. Our city needs you.
When I discussed this initiative recently on the radio show of former State Senator Clarence Mitchell IV, he reminded me of the anti-violence slogan created by his great uncle, the legendary Congressman Parren J. Mitchell. “Us Killing Us = Genocide.” Tragically, that remains true today, nearly 30 years later.
Please join us at this month’s inaugural forum. Also, go to mayor.baltimorecity.gov/calltoaction to sign up if you are interested in participating in the Call to Action as an individual or as an organization or if are a young male who wants to be linked to the services provided. This issue is too important and too challenging for any one of us to think that we have all the answers. But together, we can make serious progress. As I said in this month’s State of the City: We will not do it alone. We cannot do it alone. And most importantly, we cannot afford to fail.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Mayor
City of Baltimore
