Community Fed-Up With Violence to March Against Illegal Guns in Buffalo
Most Valuable Parents of Buffalo is hosting a Solidarity Walk to honor the late Neal Dobbins, who founded the organization. The rally will also raise awareness about two legislative amendments that make it harder to get illegal guns off the streets of Buffalo. The march and rally will take place on Saturday, September 25. People who want to join the rally should meet at E. Ferry and Fillmore no later than 2 pm. The community will then march to the MLK, Jr. bust by 2:55 pm.
The march will be followed by the rally, featuring brief remarks from community members and elected officials. The event will end with a prayer around 3:30 pm. The goal is to bring together concerned community members to find ways to end the gun violence that has been plaguing our city.
In a press release I received, Mia-Ayers Goss, Executive Director of MVP said,
“We want to provide solutions to the violence in our city!”
For this event, MVP has partnered with Hope Buffalo a project of CAI Buffalo Office, WNY@Work, Back 2 Basics, SNUG, Stop the Violence Coalition, Church of Scientology, Community Action Organization, Mainstreet host, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Villa Maria College, Board of Block Clubs, Canisius College, Cold Spring Bible Chapel and other community organizations.
Stan Martin, Buffalo Office Director of CAI said,
“It promises to be a worthwhile event which is designed to educate and give support to reducing the violence in our communities.”
New York State Dedicates More Than $23 Million to Stopping Gun Violence
New York's first woman Governor, Kathy Hochul, announced on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, that the state is dedicating $23.7 million to fighting gun violence. The money will provide job training, community activities, and intervention staffing to help curb gun violence. The funds will be used in areas plagued with high incidents of gun violence, like Buffalo. Gov. Hochul said,
Gun violence is a horror no one should have to live through, and yet too many New Yorkers do. It is time we put an end to this epidemic. We have to give young people hope and let them know their lives have meaning, which starts with creating jobs as well as more access to career training, working closely together with community organizations, and boosting gun violence intervention programs.
The top 20 cities in New York impacted by gun violence will receive a share of $16 million, which will provide workforce training and job placement programs through workforce development organizations. These programs will help youth get the training, certifications and job placement to help encourage them to focus on employment. Hopefully, at-risk young people, ages 18 to 24, will be able to secure permanent jobs. Many community leaders I've talked to about gun violence say that young people need opportunities to make good money in order to keep them off the streets.