WHEREAS, In 2019, there were 356 homicides and 1,466 non-fatal shooting incidents in the City of Philadelphia, and a sizable proportion of them involved black men and boys as both victims and perpetrators; and
WHEREAS, Alarmingly, an increasing number of gun violence victims in Philadelphia are under 18, and there have been several recent high-profile incidents in which infants and toddlers have been shot; and
WHEREAS, #ManUpPHL is a nascent anti-gun violence movement, founded by radio host Solomon Jones, which seeks to convene hundreds of black men from across Philadelphia and train them to step into the lives of the black men and boys who, statistics show us, are the most likely to be shot, or to pick up a gun themselves; and
WHEREAS, In addition, #ManUpPHL seeks to convene the many existing organizations currently addressing violence in separate corners of the City, including LESSONS, 100 Black Men, the Black Male Community Council of Philadelphia, and a number of others, to share ideas, resources, strategies, and best practices; and
WHEREAS, Through a peer-to-peer mentoring program focused on mentoring, accountability, resources, and consistency, and with the help of Big Brothers Big Sisters, #ManUpPHL aims to train men to assist other men with real alternatives, help them avoid violence, and bring peace to our streets; and
WHEREAS, #ManUpPHL will foster genuine one-on-one relationships built on trust and goodwill, and mentors will be matched with mentees according to their needs in five specific focus areas: employment, personal finance, education and training, family and parenting, and criminal justice; and
WHEREAS, Because gun violence is among the most damaging forms of trauma an individual can experience, and because each instance sends shockwaves of grief through our families, communities, and institutions, any earnestly proposed solution to this epidemic deserves the attention of this body; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby authorize the Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings regarding the anti-gun violence movement #ManUpPHL.
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