RICHMOND, Va. -- City leaders and advocacy groups in Richmond held multiple events Friday to raise awareness about gun violence in our community, while honoring victims.
Community members, non-profits that do outreach, law enforcement and city officials all came together with one objective: reaching those most at risk of gun violence to convince them to put the weapons away.
"They're looking for hope, they're looking for someone to help them," said Marvin Mundy.
Mundy is committed to helping stop gun violence in Richmond. Through his work with the group Real Life, he reaches out to young people at risk.
He attended a community block party in Mosby Court Friday, part of series of citywide efforts at several crime hotspots, for National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
"I came down a road dealing with guns, growing up, and it led me to 37 years in prison," for murder, said Mundy. "And now I've changed my life around. I'm getting a second chance to come out into society and be able to give back to the community."
Longtime Mosby Court resident Mary Turner says an additional group needs to reach out to young people.
"Parents are the ones you need to talk to because the kids, they ain't listening," said Turner. "Kids are dying. It don't make no sense."
At a news conference following visits to Mosby and Hillside Courts, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney pointed out all the steps the city is taking to stop the violence.
"We invested a million dollars for the Positive Youth Development Fund," Stoney said. "A million dollars to establish Richmond's first Child Care and Education Trust fund."
Stoney said several other city programs, including We Matter RVA, a youth violence prevention program, the Trauma Healing Response Network, and various community partners will get another two million dollars.
As far as law enforcement, Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said the start of Operation Safe Summer, a partnership with other law enforcement agencies, a month early, has already been fruitful.
"52 illegal firearms so far, have been seized, and I know we will seize more," Edwards said.
Stoney also announced a $3.2 million grant that will fund the Family Justice Center bringing together all the resources survivors of domestic violence might need.
"A Family Justice Center, will make it, in a nutshell, a one-stop shop," said Shawntee Wynn, Senior Director of Domestic and Sexual Violence Resources at the YWCA.
The mayor, now in his final months in office, says every level of government needs to work together.
I asked him how important it was to curb gun violence as part of his legacy.
"You know, Richmond is thriving in many facets," said Stoney. "But this is still the wicked challenge that still lies ahead for all of us, and what I know is that gun violence knows no bounds."
Friday's community block parties were part of "A Local Day Out,"in partnership with the NAACP, which kicks off 'Wear Orange Weekend,' a series of events to bring awareness around gun violence intervention and prevention in the city of Richmond.
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