PHILADELPHIA, PA, September 17, 2022 –Amid the gun violence impacting the city, Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (Second District), Chair of Philadelphia City Council’s Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention, held a “Peace Not Guns” Stop the Violence Community Day at Wharton Square Park on Saturday, September 17, 2022, to focus on violence prevention, providing services to those impacted, and to provide a safe place for Philadelphians to gather and recommit themselves to fighting against the violence
“I have lost friends to gun violence as well as having friends disabled because of the senseless shootings that take place every day,” Johnson said. “I will continue using my voice as a City Councilmember–as a platform to address the issue of gun violence impacting Philadelphia through workforce development, education, economic development, and violence prevention policies and strategies. I also know that all Philadelphians working together will be the key to reducing gun violence impacting the city in the long term. The Peace Not Guns Stop The Violence Community Day continues my commitment to encouraging young men and women to make positive choices, so that they can be productive members of their community.”
More than 25 organizations participated in the Peace Not Guns Stop The Violence Community Day. Trauma support services, career opportunities, children and youth services, and violence prevention resources from throughout Philadelphia were available to the public and the victims and co-victims of gun violence.
In addition to providing resources, Councilmember Johnson held the first Peace Not Guns Award Ceremony honoring a variety of Philadelphians for their work in helping reduce gun violence throughout Philadelphia.
Among those honored with a Peace Not Guns Awards were: Solomon Jones, Executive Director, ManUpPHL; Andrea Custis, President & CEO, Urban League of Philadelphia; Bilal Qayyum, Founder, Fathers’ Day Rally Committee; G. Lamar Stewart, Senior Pastor, Taylor Memorial Baptist Church in North Philadelphia and founder of TaylorMADE Opportunities; Reuben Jones, MHS; Executive Director, Frontline Dads Inc; (Sister) Taleah Taylor, President/Founder of City of Dreams Coalition; Zarinah Lomax, artist, media influencer and community activist; Oronde McClain, founder of the McClain Foundation, which provides accommodation for children who are receiving medical care due to gun violence and suffering from mental illness and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; Manuel “Wali” Smith Sr., Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network (PANN); Carmetta Dickerson, Town Watch Integrated Services; Kevin Lewis, PAAN; Akbar Muhammad and Dale Adams, anti-violence community activists, and the 17th District Police Chaplains were presented with Philadelphia City Council citations for their service to our communities.
Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, a former Pennsylvania State Representative, represents the Second Council District, which includes parts of Center City, South Philadelphia, and Southwest Philadelphia. He is Chairman of City’s Council’s Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention.
