NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk nonprofit hosted a community event Sunday afternoon aimed at fighting the city’s rising crime rate. It was called “C.E.A.S.E. - Fight for your city.”
Maceo Harrison of Impact VA, the group behind the event, said it’s about reaching out to youth and getting them involved in the community.
“C.E.A.S.E. is changing environments and senseless endings," Harrison said. “We all watching the news, we all read the paper. We’re losing our kids, and even our adults, at an alarming rate. Impact VA thought we’d take the initiative and have a community day - and we’re going to fight for our community, fight for our city. It’s time we get our city back. It’s time we get our kids back.”
Across Norfolk and Hampton Roads, gun violence continues to rise. Harrison said it’s a long standing problem that cannot go ignored.
He said everyone has to come together to change what’s happening in the city. At today’s event families, stakeholders, and local businesses came together to engage youth and connect with each other.
“Now it’s to the point where you go to the store, you may not come back home," Harrison said. “We have resources, we have vendors, we have food, we have flag football games. We’re going to bring our youth and our community together.”
Norfolk councilwoman Danica Royster said Impact VA is one of several nonprofits to receive a city grant aimed at getting funding to Norfolk communities most impacted by gun violence.
“It's critical because ultimately these are the people who are boots on the ground; they’re in the community, the community knows them. They know the pulse and the heartbeat of the communities," Royster said.
"It’s important that we collaborate as a city with these organizations, fund these organizations, for them to be impactful within their communities. It’s all about building from within.”
Harrison said Impact VA is about About changing and enhancing lives, and they can’t do it alone.
“We need everybody’s help," Harrison said. "Whatever you’re doing in your community, grab some kids, don’t let them be laying around doing nothing, bring them outside play flag football, play touch, play something. Just get them going. It takes everyone to get this done.”
The event was held at St. Helena Elementary in Norfolk’s Berkeley neighborhood.