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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Kenyatta Johnson
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Johnson to hold town hall meeting for Philadelphia youth
HARRISBURG, Dec. 2 – State Rep. Kenyatta Johnson, D-Phila., will host a unique event designed to bring young people from throughout the 186th District together for a panel discussion that will engage youth in dialogue with a group of premier panelists to address youth violence in the Philadelphia region.
The first Peace Not Guns Youth Town Hall Meeting will be held Thursday, Dec. 10 at South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St. in Philadelphia. Doors will open for the event at 4 p.m.
The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, professor at the Teachers College, Columbia University. Panelists include such well-known community leaders as Court of Common Pleas Judge Renee Cardwell-Hughes and Philadelphia District Attorney-elect Seth Williams. Also confirmed is Hosea Chanchez of TV's "The Game" and Teri Woods, author of "True to the Game."
This forum will also include powerful youth who are already making a difference in our community, including Jamira Burley, the mayor's appointee to the Philadelphia Youth Commission.
The Peace Not Guns Youth Town Hall Meeting is the first event designed to provide youth with a voice and encourage them to address issues plaguing their community and seek answers to resolve the senseless acts of violence and murders in Philadelphia. In 2008, 333 homicides occurred in Philadelphia with 145 of them involving youth between the ages of 17 and 25.
"All of our young people can accomplish anything they set their minds to with hard work, motivation and a strong desire to help others," Johnson said. "This forum is designed to motivate our youth and help them understand that the choice between violence and peace is their decision."
Founded in 1999 by Johnson, Peace Not Guns Inc. seeks to eliminate the use of guns and violence among youth 9 to 24 through education, mentoring and community partnerships.