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From YouTube: Chair Kenyatta Johnson Remarks Before the Special Committee on Gun Violence Hearing 2-20-2020
Description
From the hearing of Council's Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention held Thursday, February 20, 2020:
Committee Chair Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District) makes opening remarks before the Special Committee.
A
I
wanna
I
would
like
to
welcome
everyone
to
today's
Philadelphia
City
Council's
special
committee
on
gun,
violence
prevention,
specifically
addressing
the
issue
of
support
services
for
victims,
code
victims
and
survivors
of
gun
violence.
I
want
to
take
a
moment
to
thank
all
of
my
colleagues
for
attending
this
hearing
today.
A
I
want
to
take
a
moment
to
acknowledge
our
Majority
Leader
councilman
Cheryl
Parker
I
want
to
acknowledge
I'm
Councilwoman
Katherine
Gilmore
Richardson
I
want
to
acknowledge
councilman
Kendra
Brooks
I
want
to
acknowledge
councilman
Allen
Dom
I
want
to
acknowledge
councilman
Isaiah
Thomas
I
want
to
acknowledge
councilman,
Cindy
bass
and
also
councilman
Derek
Greene.
Thank
you
for
taking
time
out
of
your
schedule
and
for
being
here
not
beliefs.
I
want
to
take
a
moment.
A
A
knowledge
of
the
leader
of
our
body
will
also
provide
the
support
and
the
legislation
necessary
and
giving
me
the
opportunity
to
singly
focus
on
this
issue
of
gun
violence
and
this
body
council
president
down
Clark.
Can
you
please
give
mycologist
a
round
of
applause
for
their
dedication
in
taking
time
out
of
your
schedule
and
being
here
today?
A
The
main
purpose
of
today's
hearing
is
to
examine
the
effects
of
Philadelphia
gun
violence,
specifically
on
victims,
code
victims
and
survivors
of
gun
violence.
This
hearing
will
give
victims
of
gun
violence
the
chance
to
voice
their
concerns,
examine
what
violence,
programs
for
victims
and
Co
victims
we
are
working
on
and,
most
importantly,
provide
them
a
voice
and
recommendations
to
address
this
issue.
A
That's
plaguing
our
city
last
month
in
January
I
had
a
meeting
with
leadership
from
across
the
city
of
Philadelphia
government
to
get
an
update
on
a
crime
and
violence
impacting
our
city
and
to
discuss
future
opportunities
for
agencies
to
work
together
and
addressing
the
issue
of
gun
violence.
Last
week,
I
had
another
meeting
here
in
City
Council
caucus
in
the
City
Council
caucus
room
with
victim
at
advocacy
groups
as
well
as
activists,
mothers,
brothers
sisters
and
ordinary
Philadelphians,
who
has
loved
friends
and
loved
ones
to
gun
violence.
A
As
we
address
this
issue,
most
of
you
may
or
may
not
know
that
in
1998
I
established
a
program
called
peace,
not
guns
after
cousin
Maya
was
murdered
in
the
streets
of
South
Philadelphia,
and
so
as
a
as
a
result
of
his
life
been
taking
I
dedicated
my
life
through
my
organization,
peace
now
guns
are
teaching
young
people,
conflict
resolution
and
their
management
and
an
side
street
education.
So
for
me,
this
issue
is
personal
and
it's
not
about
politics.
A
Gun
violence
was
a
persistent
growing
threat
to
the
safety
and
well-being
of
communities
throughout
Philadelphia
and
in
America.
As
of
February,
the
19th
51
people
have
been
the
victims
of
homicides
in
Philadelphia.
So
far
this
year,
a
21
percent
increase
compared
to
the
same
time
in
2019,
according
to
statistics
from
the
Philadelphia
Police
Department
and.
A
2019
Philadelphia
recorded
355
homicides
that
total
marked
the
highest
homicide
count
in
over
a
decade.
Almost
all
those
homicides
were
committed
with
firearms
people
of
color,
most
mostly
african-american.
Youth
are
dis,
reporting
likely
to
be
victims
or
Co
victims
of
gun
violence,
in
addition
to
those
being
murdered
in
our
city,
there
were
also
more
than
1,400
non-fatal
shootings
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
The
victims
of
violence
often
suffered
long-term
disability,
including
paralysis,
organ
mounting
organ
malfunction
and
chronic
pain.
A
We
want
to
thank
and
acknowledge
I
married
Jim
Kenny
from
for
making
the
bold
decision
to
appoint
an
african-american
woman
in
this
position
and
Commissioner
outlaw
we're
going
to
work
with
you
to
address
this
issue
of
gun
violence
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
and
most
people
in
this
room
know
me
and
know
my
philosophy
is
not
going
to
take
one
person
to
address
this
issue
is
one
thing
all
of
us
as
a
city
to
roll
up
our
sleeves
to
reduce
the
level
of
gun.
Violence
that
we
are
seeing.