Norton to Host “Candid Conversation on Gangs and Youth Violence” Roundtable, Tuesday

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), honorary host of the District of Columbia Commission on Black Men and Boys, announced that the Commission will hold a roundtable, entitled "A Candid Conversation on Gangs and Youth Violence," on Tuesday, September 30, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 at Matthews Memorial Baptist Church, 2616 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE. The Commission is chaired by Isaac Fulwood, chairman of the U.S. Parole Commission and a former District of Columbia police chief. The roundtable was prompted by the shooting at the National Zoo on Easter Monday and the Ballou High School shooting at the beginning of this past summer, both believed to be gang-related.

The conversation will open with remarks from six D.C. young people who have been approached by or have participated in neighborhood cliques or gangs; Larry McMichael, a former D.C. crew leader; David M. Kennedy, Director of the Center for Crime Prevention and Control; and Dionne Reeder, a representative of the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative. The Commission will then welcome participation from residents not only to ask questions, but to speak about their own personal experiences and provide suggestions about how to best curb gang and youth violence in the city. Residents are also encouraged to submit their suggestions to NortonEvents@mail.house.gov with "Gang & Youth Violence Prevention" in the subject line.

"When gang violence erupted at the zoo last spring, and later at Ballou, there was little public discussion about what caused it, or what to do about it," Norton said. "On Tuesday, our hope is that hearing candidly from the speakers at the Roundtable will spark an open conversation. Failing to publicly discuss gang violence allows it to go undercover and emerge at will."

Norton established the D.C. Commission on Black Men and Boys in 2001, and the Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys in 2012 with Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL). The Caucus educates the public on issues and problems that disproportionately affect Black men and boys and supports ideas and spurs community initiatives that improve their quality of life. The Commission focuses on high school dropout rates, criminal justice issues, HIV/AIDS, marriage and family issues, and discrimination.

More information for this event can be found here.