Next month will mark sixteen years since my dear friend, my partner, the person I loved in life was cut short by gun violence as he walked out of a bodega in New York City. He was mistakenly struck by a bullet intended for someone standing outside the store. Our lives were changed forever by a needless act of violence.

For three consecutive days, our city has experienced a rash of violence. Yesterday’s incident took place on Camp Street in front of Billy Taylor Park, a neighborhood park where my daughter plays and where I’ve hosted various events to bring the community together.

I am heartbroken and appalled by these unthinkable acts of violence. The epidemic of gun violence is destroying our communities, injecting fear into our neighborhoods and further dividing our city. It must stop.

The issue of gun violence is systemic and we must address the root cause. On Friday, May 14th, I reached out to the Mayor, the Police Commissioner and Chief, the Attorney General, the Executive Director of the Nonviolence Institute, and community leaders to convene a meeting to discuss how we can work collaboratively to create a comprehensive plan to address the gun violence in our community and also ensure meaningful and impactful ways to serve our young people. Creating solutions is often a bottom-up process and we’ve got to find ways to engage our young people who are often disenfranchised, struggling, and in some cases, very angry.

I have had the privilege to go on ride-alongs with the NonViolence Institute’s street workers and the police department to see firsthand the impact of such violence on communities and on lives. I am committed to continuing to work with the Mayor’s administration, the police department, and community partners to stop gun violence in Providence and develop solutions to prevent these violent crimes from happening. Talk is not the answer. Action is.

I will update you as our meetings progress. And, please reach out to me if you have ideas on this issue. It’s by sharing what we know and working together as a community that we will make significant change.

With love for our city,

Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune
Providence City Council