Roseland Unveils Stop the Violence Initiatives

The A.C.T. in Greater Roseland Advisory Council takes questions from attendees. Pictured left to right are: Licia Knight, Data Manager, Mercy Housing; Phil Snorden, Director, Neighborhood Housing Services Roseland; Andrea Reed, Executive Director, Greater Roseland Chamber of Commerce; Gloria Cosey, President, Rosemoor Community Association, Quincy Roseborough, Community Development Coordinator, Metropolitan Family Services; Eddie Reed, Advisory Council Chairman; Joyce Chapman, President, Far South Community Action Council; Godfrey Lawson, Rosemoor Community Association, Bryan Echols, Community Restorative Justice Hubs Coordinator - CFYI, Alternatives to Incarceration.
The A.C.T. in Greater Roseland Advisory Council takes questions from attendees. Pictured left to right are: Licia Knight, Data Manager, Mercy Housing; Phil Snorden, Director, Neighborhood Housing Services Roseland; Andrea Reed, Executive Director, Greater Roseland Chamber of Commerce; Gloria Cosey, President, Rosemoor Community Association, Quincy Roseborough, Community Development Coordinator, Metropolitan Family Services; Eddie Reed, Advisory Council Chairman; Joyce Chapman, President, Far South Community Action Council; Godfrey Lawson, Rosemoor Community Association, Bryan Echols, Community Restorative Justice Hubs Coordinator - CFYI, Alternatives to Incarceration.

Roseland Unveils Stop the Violence Initiatives

By Safiyyah P. Muhammad

In an effort to provide solutions to the ongoing violence in the Greater Roseland community, community residents, stakeholders and Activating Our Community Together (ACT) unveiled their Safety Action Plan recently.

“The Safety Action Plan we are laying out for the Greater Roseland community is comprehensible and addresses the needs of the community. We are asking for social services programs, faith-based organizations and governmental agencies to join us to address the social issues in this community. We have a Social Service Round Table (component), designed to serve all community residents when they do not qualify for other social programs,” said Quincy Roseborough, a community development coordinator for Metropolitan Family Services in Chicago.

Megan Merrill of Metropolitan Family Services said that GET IN Chicago, who is funding the Community Collaboration and Resident Engagement, (CCRE) has identified several strategies under the Safety Action Plan, which includes productive activities for youth, leadership opportunities and violence reduction programming.

“As part of our outreach, we provide Peace Circles training to our stakeholders (residents in Roseland) on how to keep the peace. Since January of this year, there were more than 2,349 acts of violence that have occurred in and around the Greater Roseland community,” Roseborough said.

As the statistics on violence continue to rise in Roseland, Roseborough, along with community residents are seeking means and ways to end the cycle of violence. “We are working under a GET IN Chicago grant as means of outreach to the community. We are also seeking help (from various sources) and asking the question of what can be done to decrease the violence in our community?” Roseborough said.

According to the Get IN Chicago website, the grant program provides counsel to the funder and community based organizations who work to reduce youth violence and address the underlying, systemic issues that lead to it. Get IN Chicago also studies and funds anti-violence initiatives focused on acutely high-risk youth, those who are at heightened risk for becoming victims or perpetrators of violence.

“We submitted a 2-year plan to GET IN Chicago on September 25th to reduce the violence in Roseland. The cost to implement the plan is $2 million dollars. This sustainable, community-driven plan, to address the violence crisis impacting our city and community was developed by people who live, work, learn and play here in Roseland, and who are invested in creating a safer, more vibrant Greater Roseland,” Roseborough said.

Roseborough added that Metropolitan Family Services is the convener of the Roseland Safety Action Plan initiatives. Metropolitan Family Services is a human service program that provides assistance to more than 68,000 families across the greater Chicagoland.

Angela Russel, resident of the Roseland community for thirteen years commented on community meeting. She said, “The event was very informative and inspiring. The information shared gave me a broader idea of the needs in Roseland, and now I realize how I can do more to effect change.”

Speakers at the unveiling included the Reverend Robert Biekman, Senior Pastor, Maple Park United Methodist Church; Joyce Chapman, Chairperson, Far South Community Action Council; Gloria Cosey, President, Rosemoor Community Association; Bryan Echols, Coordinator, Community Justice for Youth Institute, among others.

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