Philadelphia Community Leaders Fighting Against Gun Violence Honored As National Gun Violence Awareness Month Continues
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Some community leaders leading the anti-gun violence movement were honored by Philadelphia lawmakers as National Gun Violence Awareness Month continues. Nearly two dozen non-violence organizations were honored at City Hall on Thursday.
All of them were nominated by their peers for all the work that they've been doing in the community to curb gun violence in Philadelphia.
Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson, chairman of the Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention, led Thursday's event saying these activists have been in the trenches steering young people in the right direction.
While these community leaders are being recognized, nearly 100% of them are family members of people who were shot and killed on the streets of Philly.
Councilmember Johnson believes additional funding will help these grassroots organizations get more boots on the ground. Now, for the next fiscal year, he is advocating for an increase from $155 million to $200 million that will go towards crime prevention.
Eyewitness News spoke with parents Cheryl and Joel Seay who continue to mourn their son Jarell. He was shot and killed on their West Philly porch weeks before his 19th birthday and they say there's still a lot of work ahead.
"He was just so awesome in so many ways. There aren't enough words I can think of to say about him but we miss him and continue to do this work in his honor," mother Cheryl Seay said as she fought back tears. "Today would've been his 30th birthday and it's bittersweet for us because we're getting a citation from the city which we are grateful for but there's so much more to do."
The city council is currently deliberating next year's fiscal budget. Once approved, the mayor's office will be responsible for allocating those funds.
For a list of gun violence resources in Philadelphia, click here.
