MEDIA ADVISORY

 PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY STATES ATTORNEY,  WASHINGTON DC DEPUTY MAYOR, TEAM UP WITH ROOT, INC. AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR REGIONAL APPROACH TO COMBAT GUN VIOLENCE AT PRESS CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, DC ON SEPT. 29

 

 ROOT, INC. OFFERS PROACTIVE "GUNS ASIDE/COMMUNITY IN ACTION” CAMPAIGN TO AID MARYLAND, WASHINGTON, DC AND VIRGINIA COMMUNITIES PLAGUED WITH GUN VIOLENCE

 

WHO:               ROOT, Prince George's County, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, the DC Government, NOBLE, Greater Washington Boys and Girls Clubs, and No Murders DC will collaborate with community organizations, the media, WMATA, religious leaders, and individuals to implement the Guns Aside/Community in Action campaign to target at risk youth through a multimedia program aimed at reducing the level of youth homicides. The model is based on prevention research which has found that: An effective gun violence prevention program will be age-appropriate, culture competent, target the age groups most likely to commit gun violence, and make the support and participation of parents and all sectors of the community a priority.  Guns Aside is part of a multidisciplinary approach being implemented by ROOT (Reaching Out to Others Together) that builds on relationships with business, law enforcement, community, religious leaders, and local government agencies. This program starts at the community level where effective interventions can produce results. 

§         Kenneth E, Barnes, Sr., MS, CEO and Founder of ROOT

§         Gary Bellamy, Creator, Guns Aside

§         Neil Albert, Deputy Mayor, District of Columbia

§         Glenn Ivey, States Attorney, Prince George's County

§         Eleanor Holmes Norton, Congresswoman, District of Columbia

§         Jim Graham, Adrian Fenty, and Vincent Orange, Councilmembers, District of Columbia

§         Kenneth Wainstein, US Attorney for the District of Columbia

§         Charles Ramsey, Chief of Police, District of Columbia

§         Jerome Lee, Executive Director, NOBLE

§         Andre Jordan, Asst. Chief, retired, US Park Police, DC Chapter NOBLE

§         Spencer Giles, Lt., Housing Authority Police, City of Baltimore and Past President, Maryland Chapter, NOBLE

§         Patricia Shannon, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington

§         David Bowers, No Murders DC

§         Rev Lennox Yearwood, National Grassroots Director, HipHop Summit Action Network

§         Alicia Horton, Director, Community Relations and Grassroots Initiatives, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence

§         Les Butler, CEO & Chief Visionary Officer, BeHealthy Lifestyles

§         Rev Tony Lee, Youth Minister, Ebenezer A.M.E. Church

§         Vernon Hawkins, Administrator, Union Temple Church

§         Rev Donald Isaac, East of the River Clergy Police Community Partnership

§         Sandy Johnson, CO-Chapter Leader, DC Chapter, Parents of Murdered Children

§         EZ Street, Founder, CEO, Stop the Violence DC Network

§         Franklin Tucker, President, Thompson, Epps, & Tucker

§         Tyrone Parker, Executive Director, Alliance of Concerned Men

§         Cornell Jones, Executive Director, Miracle Hands Community Development Corp

§         Marita Michael, mother of Devin Fowlkes, slain Anacostia High School Student

§         Francine Lowe, mother of Miyesha Lowe, slain teenager

§         Rick Bailey, father and uncle of last victims slain in 2001

§         Rev Stephen Young, father of homicide victim and pastor, The Holy Christian Missionary Baptist Church for All People Homicide Ministry

§         Al Malik Farrakhan, father of homicide victim, founder and CEO, Cease Fire Don't Smoke the Brothers

§         Tony Duggins, Executive Director, North Capitol Community Collaborative

§         Retta Morris, Executive Director, Justice 4 DC Youth! Coalition

§         James Pearlstein, Facilitating Leadership in Youth

§         Youth Affected by Violence and Homicide

 

WHAT:             PRESS CONFERENCE to announce “Guns Aside” Campaign

 

WHEN:             Wednesday, September 29, 2004 at 2:00pm

 

WHERE:            National Press Club - Holeman Lounge 529 14^th St, NW, Washington, DC 20045     Tel 202 662.7500

 

WHY:                The Washington, DC Metropolitan Area has been the scene of tragedy after tragedy. Recent violent deaths of youths slain in drive by shootings escalated the homicide rate for youth under the age of 18 to 17, 5 more than in 2003; and, the number of incidents involving gun violence continues to escalate at alarming proportions.  ROOT offers assistance to aid and abet the District Government, and the metropolitan area, in its search for solutions. The Guns Aside campaign will effectively intervene and help alter the mindset of today's urban youth.  Kenneth E. Barnes, Sr., MS, CEO and Founder of ROOT emphatically states, “Too many lives are being lost; too many victims injured, and too many communities are being held hostage to this systemic and endemic tide of violence. As a government, and as a community, we must begin to offer proactive, rather than reactive, alternatives.”   

                       

                        Priscilla or Don Clarke, Clarke & Associates, LLC, pclarkepr@aol.com, Tel. 202-723-2200 or visit http://www.clarkepr.com/      http://www.rootinc.org/           

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