Alabama leaders unite to combat gun violence and reimagine community safety / Public News Service

Gun violence has long been a pressing issue in Alabama, and recent events like the tragic shooting at Tuskegee University have sparked urgent calls for action.

In response, leaders, advocates and community groups are coming together to rethink how the state can address the crisis. Instead of focusing solely on crime statistics, they push for solutions based on prevention, justice and community healing. Efforts to challenge the status quo and prioritize lasting change.

Leroy Maxwell Jr., managing partner at law firm Maxwell Tillman, emphasized the need to review policies regarding firearm access and use. He said the state’s current law makes it too easy for dangerous weapons to circulate.

“Try to pass sensible and sensible counter-legislation,” Maxwell urged. “The idea that someone in this state can have a silencer where the sole purpose is to sneak up behind someone and kill them has no self-defense value whatsoever.”

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that Alabama had the 12th highest rate of gun deaths among Black people in the country in 2022. Advocates made clear that law reform was only part of the solution, emphasizing the need for smarter laws to reduce harm without causing unintended consequences.

However, legislation is only one piece of the puzzle.

Jacques Austin, a licensed counselor with the group Brother Let’s Talk, said addressing emotional and mental health issues are equally important. He explained that communities often struggle to process grief and conflict constructively, which can lead to tension and violence over time.

“When emotions are running high and there are no resources like counseling or education in the community to help people process them, communication can break down,” Austin explained. “Instead of open, empathetic dialogue, people may communicate defensively or aggressively.”

Uche Bean, director of community safety initiatives for the City of Birmingham, believes creating safe communities when combating gun violence starts with treating it as a public health crisis. She said breaking the cycle of violence requires conscious investment in the community.

“The comprehensive approach focuses not only on general crime, but also on community safety,” Bean emphasized. “We ensure that we provide support, resources and funding in every instance of these cycles of violence.”

Bean added that public safety is not just about enforcement, but also about intervening to stop violence before it starts.

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A new art event titled “Art of Democracy: Resiliency Impacted” showcases regional artists’ work on democracy as the presidential election approaches. The exhibition series highlights reproductive freedom, gun violence and the role of artists in advocating for change. The show has partnered with CeaseFirePA.

Josh Fleitman, campaign director for CeaseFirePA, says his organization focuses on gun violence prevention at the state level while supporting grassroots efforts to amplify citizen voices.

“We work with a lot of community violence intervention organizations, violence interruption groups, street work, hospital violence intervention work and groups that work on the ground to prevent gun violence,” he said. “We work with many survivors of gun violence and this is the event we are doing this week to tell their stories.”

Pennsylvania saw a 16% decline in homicides, compared to 13% statewide, with 29 of the state’s 67 counties reporting declines. In September, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order re-establishing the Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention within the state Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Rebecca Susman, communications and development director at Keystone Progress Education Fund, said the Art of Democracy exhibition series will examine what a healthy democracy looks like and, in collaboration with Casey Droege Cultural Productions, encourage broader discussions on the topic.

At the Resiliency Impacted event, she explained, Pennsylvanians will have the opportunity to register to vote before next Monday’s deadline.

“The idea is to raise awareness of issues and also connect that to the importance of voting. That’s why we do voter registration at the fairs,” Susman explained. “We have voter plan cards that people can fill out to make sure you know if they are voting in person. They know they know where their polling place is.”

Jillian Daniels, independent curator of the exhibit “Resiliency Impacted,” said it underscores the widespread impact of gun violence in Pennsylvania, including the Indiana city. Their goal is to convey that lives lost to gun violence are preventable, regardless of political views. The exhibition focuses on understanding the lives affected and the broader context of today’s gun culture.

“Visit ‘Resiliency Impacted’ and experience the art and the calculable but immeasurable loss of life and how we can take proactive steps to get more from the people to whom we have delegated our safety and our ideas of safety in this electoral system “To demand protection,” she said.

The screening and discussion of “The Art of Democracy: Resiliency Impacted” will take place today from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Fox Clark Gallery in Indiana, Pennsylvania. The month-long exhibition will be on display until Sunday. Another exhibition, “Art of Democracy,” is currently open through November 2nd at Brew House Arts in Pittsburgh.

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Wyoming lawmakers are debating gun laws after Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed a bill this spring that would have eliminated “gun-free zones.”

The bill would have legalized concealed weapons in more places, including the Capitol, universities and elementary school campuses, where school districts currently set the rules.

Annie Griffin, superintendent of Washakie County School District No. 2, where teachers have been allowed to carry concealed for seven years, told the Joint Judiciary Committee that the sporting event rule creates challenges in recruiting, recruiting and enforcing adults from outside the district , For example.

“Unfortunately, I can tell you of many incidents of verbal abuse and violence from children in the classroom,” Griffin testified. “I don’t think people fully understand the volatility that can exist in schools.”

After the bill passed both chambers, Governor Gordon vetoed it, saying he was an “ardent supporter” of the Second Amendment but the bill lacked “adequate consideration and debate.” Its sponsor, Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, said he would introduce a similar bill next session.

Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston, said the decision about what is allowed should be left to school districts, but noted that districts were not included in the discussion.

“We talk a lot about local control and how important that is,” emphasized Schuler. “And I don’t think we really brought our educational people to the table throughout the entire process.”

The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees will discuss how the university will address concealed carry at a meeting this week.

Supporters of ending gun-free zones said such zones are more prone to violent crime. But a new study showed that gun-free zones “could provide protection against active shooters.”

When a citizen cited the research in public comment, Rep. Mark Jennings, R-Sheridan, said the right to bear arms is “God-given.”

“When I think about studies, I think, boy, how important it is that we don’t go by studies,” Jennings claimed.

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A new initiative for single mothers and their sons is helping fight crime and empower at-risk community members in Jackson.

Non-profit organization Operation Good, made up of people formerly in prison, said it has helped significantly reduce crime rates in the areas it serves. In one quarter the rate fell from 87% to 14%.

Fredrick Womack, founder and executive director of Operation Good, said the goal is to find the root causes of violence in Jackson. They conduct family interventions and work with single mothers and at-risk youth to prevent violent crime.

“To change the mindset of the high-risk participants and also give them a better place in life, get the mothers a better place in life,” Womack explained. “The data here shows that over 52% of children are born into unmarried families; 77% of them are single mothers.”

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has set a goal of reducing violent crime by 5% using federal grants. However, Womack noted that Mississippi received funds from the American Rescue Plan Act and 20% of the funds were to be given to community organizations for public safety and violence prevention. He noted that Mississippi instead used the money to create a Capitol Police Department.

For Operation Good, community engagement also includes providing food, educational and mentoring resources to families. They host monthly events. Most recently there was a block party and next up is a community symposium on September 26th where victims of violent crime will discuss prevention.

“We’re hosting a gun violence event with hospitals and researchers and talking about dealing with those who have been victims of gun violence, you know, who’ve been shot,” Womack explained. “We are hosting a symposium with them to let them know that resources are available.”

According to the Marshall Project, Jackson has a curfew that prohibits young people from being outside after 10 p.m. on weekdays and after midnight on weekends. The regulation is set to expire in January 2025. In the meantime, city officials hope engagement centers also provide a safe haven for children.

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