Torrence Jones, with the Community Police Partnering Center, speaks at the event. Photo by Andria Carter
By Andria Carter
The Cincinnati Herald
Cincinnati Sentinels President Louis Arnold spoke at the gathering of men who’ve lost sons to gun violence in Avondale at the corner of Reading Road and Forest Avenue. He noted that the young people caught up in gun violence are trying to be men who haven’t been shown how to be men on Monday, August 17.
State Rep. Sedrick Denson (D-District 33) spoke during the gathering offering his support and said he would be join with State Senator Cecil Thomas seeking funding from the Governor to help fund programs like the Community Police Partnering Center, who has outreach workers working with Cincinnati young people to stop the violence.
Torrence Jones with the Community Police Partnering Center, a division of the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio, talked about hope and changing his life after being a felon and losing his son to gun violence. He spoke to a group of men gathered to say enough is enough regarding gun violence and urging men to step up and help the young men caught up in the violence.
Jones said, “We are in the process of selling hope, not dope, to individuals on the street. We want to address whatever it is that is pulling them across that line that can turn this around. The last thing we need at this time is Black-on-Black crime. We need to make sure this does not take place again.’’
Pastor Ennis Tate, whose ministry has been involved in a number of gun buybacks, prayed over the men gathered to offer their views on the recent spate of gun violence in Cincinnati.
Pastor Peterson Mingo, who works with youth and programs to reduce the gun violence; State Senator Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati); and others spoke.