Mr. David Muhammad Speaks

Mr. David Muhammad is featured in the Times today:


Violence prevention is work in progress
By David Muhammad
GUEST COMMENTARY

ON BEHALF of The Mentoring Center (TMC) and our esteemed consultants, I am excited and honored to have been chosen by the city of Richmond to help establish the Office of Violence Prevention.

Richmond has been plagued by violent crime for many years. The past year and a half has been especially troubling.

Outrage and concern over the recent rise in violence led the City Council to authorize the creation of the Office of Violence Prevention -- to plan an effective and sustained effort to stem the tide of violence in this city.

Richmond is a diamond in the rough, full of untapped potential. The fear that grips many residents and the hopelessness that plagues our youth has paralyzed this city of Pride and Purpose.

Many are calling for and expecting immediate action to end the violence.

Some media reports and public discussion have erroneously portrayed the recent City Council action as a resolution to bring the Mentoring Center's program to Richmond.

The Oakland based Mentoring Center does conduct effective direct service programs for highly at-risk youths, some who do live in Richmond. But TMC's contract with the city of Richmond is not to bring our direct service programs to the city.

TMC actually was created to provide technical assistance and training to community-based organizations and government agencies to improve their work with highly at-risk youths.
To that end, along with its consultants, who are highly qualified experts in community and organizational development, TMC will spend the next 6 to 12 months assisting the city of Richmond develop a coordinated effort to combat violence.

This is an ongoing process, and while we are in this process, unfortunately, there will be more violence.

But the community must maintain its resolve to research, plan, and then execute an effective and sustained violence prevention effort.

We must be patient with the process. There are no quick fixes.

Richmond suffers from many decades of neglect, a poor social service infrastructure and significant lack of investment.

The neighborhoods where most of these violent incidents occur are environments ripe for destruction.

Far too many of our neighborhoods are characterized by blight, poverty, high unemployment, substandard schools, proliferation of liquor stores, and easy access to drugs and guns.
These root causes are not going to be reversed overnight, or even in a year.

Greg Hodge, DeVone Boggan and I have been asked to drive the process, but the actual solution must include the entire Richmond community.

Grass-roots community members, faith-based and community-based organizations, government officials and businesses must all work together in order to solve Richmond's problems of violence.

I have lamented for years that I live and minister in Richmond, but I haven't had the full opportunity to serve the city in the way I serve Oakland.

While this project doesn't yet afford me the direct service opportunity, it does allow me to use my experience to improve my own community.

TMC and its consultants plan to methodically and collaboratively assist the city to establish the Office of Violence Prevention.

TMC will cull currently published data and request new reports.

TMC will convene several community gatherings and invite the general public along with violence prevention stakeholders, including nonprofit, religious, law enforcement, civic and other leaders to provide input into the creation of this new office.

TMC intends to request a detailed analysis of violent crime data, such a report is essential to learning where and when to combat the violence.

TMC will map current violence prevention efforts conducted by all segments of the community, assess the gaps in successful service, and propose a plan to close those gaps. TMC will also research nationally recognized best practices.

This process of research, data collection, community gatherings, and asset and gap mapping will culminate in the establishment of an organizational infrastructure of the Office of Violence Prevention.

It is time for all of us to forgo our egos and our personal politics and make the safety and improvement of our communities the priority.

While the city's leaders bicker over petty differences, our communities suffer.

Some well meaning advocates have argued that there does not need to be an Office of Violence Prevention -- that the funds spent on establishing and then maintaining the office could be better spent immediately on violence prevention activity.

I partially resonate with this argument. But there is an old saying, "If you fail to plan, then your plan is to fail."

We do need immediate action to stop violence -- but scattered, unproven efforts can be ineffective and a waste of time and resources.

Richmond has a collection of groups and individuals who are passionate about their community.
We will be working to add capacity to this wealth of passion. I invite all those interested in seeing a safe and prosperous Richmond to join us in this work in progress.

Muhammad is the executive director of The Mentoring Center.
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TAZER NOTE: The Tazer applauds Mr. Muhammad being proactive and sharing his plans! Here's something to ponder: The Tazer wonders if the anger over the slow action of City officials to even get to this point in addressing violence prevention stems from wanting an immediate solution as much as it does from the lack of accountability from those who have lacked the ability to lead or govern for many years, thus the city of Richmond has become what it is.

The Tazer thinks most will agree with the feeling that we can ALL work towards the solution, but having those responsible step up, admit their mistakes and inability, and allow us as a city to NEVER allow those mistakes to happen again is a big step towards everyone moving forward.

Again, the Tazer supports Mr. Muhammad's desire to move forward, but we WILL NOT allow those who need to answer for this mess to slither away without taking their medicine.