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Trusted Servants Of The Black Community
In 2018, Philadelphia’s homicide rate was the highest in over a decade. There were 1,376 shootings and 351 murders. Fatal shootings have already increased by 7.41% from last year. Of the 130 victims thus far, 108 were Black. The City of Philadelphia has declared violence a public health crisis. Our political, religious, community leaders, and law enforcement have all called for a cease-fire to halt city shootings. Communities gather for candlelight vigils to mourn the loss and support the family and friends of the murder victims. They call for the violence to end; they pledge to keep the memories of the deceased alive, they memorialize the murder scenes with candles, teddy bears, sneakers, and flowers – And repeat!
Stanley Crawford, organizer, and president of The Black Male Community Council of Philadelphia became the surviving parent of a homicide victim, when his son, William Aboaje Samir Crawford was murdered on the streets of Philadelphia. Determined not to allow grief to paralyze him, Stanley presented a call-to-action for Philadelphia’s Black men. His crowdsourcing efforts yielded a coalition of 50 African American males, whose community leadership and activism span decades and is multi-generational. These men bring various levels of expertise and diverse experiences. Faith-based organizations, social service organizations, law enforcement, community leaders and other community stakeholders make up the membership of B.M.C.C.P.