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Mothers In Charge Organizes Motorcade Remembering 300 Homicide Victims

By Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A motorcade through the city streets on Thursday aims to remember the more than 300 homicide victims in Philadelphia in 2011.

Thursday's 4 p.m. motorcade will make stops at four locations in Grays Ferry, West Philadelphia, Germantown and Brewerytown. At each stop, names of people who have been killed will be read aloud. The event is organized by the antiviolence group, Mothers in Charge, founded ten years ago by Dorothy Johnson-Speight (second from left in photo).

"I hope it really brings attention to the idea that we've got to get involved to make a difference with the issue of violence. Everyone has got to get involved to make a difference, whether it's mentoring a young child or doing something in your community, so that this violence doesn't continue."

Information on how people can help will be available at each stop. "We'll be giving literature, information and resources and all that on each stop that we do.  We'll have Mothers in Charge and other community groups passing out information, resources on jobs and education and conflict resolution and anger management programs and things like that."

Johnson-Speight says 50 cars are expected to be part of the motorcade, including police vehicles and hearses.

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