ABOVE: Mary Catherine Roberson leads Thursday afternoon Vermilion County Gun Violence Prevention Committee meeting at Danville Public Library
Local community activist and state rep candidate Mary Catherine Roberson led a room of about a dozen and a half community leaders, during a Thursday (May 21st) afternoon meeting of the Vermilion County Gun Violence Prevention Committee. Roberson explained to CIMG afterwards that it was discussions between her and Survivor Resource Center director Marcie Sheridan that led to this new chapter of the Vermilion County Violence Prevention Coalition Committees, following a recent weekend that saw three shooting incidents, including one death, in Danville.
Roberson talked about her days working for the City of Champaign, and how they patterned themselves after methods used elsewhere; including Oakland, California; where recruiting people who have been through the justice system before, but now want to help, can be a big step.
AUDIO: And those individuals are more credible messengers for the people who are actually driving the violence on the street. Because part of this gun violence reduction strategy has to involve going out, and reaching out to the people who are committing the violence. And that tends to be a group that we shy away from, but we also know that if we can get to them before; if we can help get them jobs, if we can help recognize like what they need to not pick up a gun; then we can be proactive and prevent some of those shootings.
Two Danville mayoral candidates were in attendance, the Reverend Frank McCullough and Alderwoman Tricia Teague. Teague stated that one major problem can be getting social agencies to not just work with children and pre-teens, but also with teens, older teens, and young adults.
(1st and 3rd Pictures) Mary Catherine Roberson and Alderwoman Tricia Teague make points during Thursday’s Vermilion County Gun Violence Prevention Committee meeting at the Danville Public Library.
AUDIO: When I was on the Laura Lee Board, we specifically targeted 13-plus because it is a forgotten age group. But they’re in the window of opportunity, when working with them, to have a significant impact on the community; and steer them towards positive things.
An upcoming “Wear Orange Community Gathering” event at the Laura Lee Fellowship House Friday, June 5th will mark “National Gun Violence Awareness Day.” Jamie Nightlinger from Project Success of Vermilion County explains.
AUDIO: And we are going to join thousands of people across the country in wearing orange to honor survivors, and spread awareness of our nation’s gun violence crisis. And so we just want to come together, have a meal, provide some activities.
The next Vermilion County Gun Violence Prevention Committee meeting is set for Thursday, June 4th; 1 PM in the Danville Public Library Conference Room.
