Harriet Tubman Center News & Updates

Source: detroit2020.com

More than 30 clergy members are teaming up with law enforcement with a call for a cease fire in Detroit. It’s called Detroit Night Walks.

After months of ongoing violent crime, the clergy members are calling for calm and asking for others to join them in upcoming trainings for Detroit Night Walks.

The clergy team, led by Bishop Edgar Vann of Second Ebenezer Church and Pastor James Warfield of Mt. Vernon Missionary Baptist Church, have already committed to Detroit Night Walks in targeted areas of the city.

“We have churches in all corners of Detroit, but we want to fill in as many neighborhoods as possible with a peaceful, but powerful presence,” Pastor Warfield said.

Detroit has 468 crimes per square mile. The national average is 39 crimes per square mile.

Both clergy and lay people are invited to two trainings on Friday, May 25th and Friday, June 15th. In addition, prayer rallies to end the violence are planned at five churches on Saturday, May 26th.

Friday, May 25th

Phase 1 of Detroit Night Walks Training

6-7:30 p.m.

Second Ebenezer Church

14601 Dequindre

First Night Walk:

Friday, May 25th

7:30 p.m.

Solomon’s Temple

2341 E. 7 Mile

Saturday, May 26th:  Youth Prayer Rally at five Detroit Churches at 2pm, with prayer at exactly 3:13 p.m.

-Eastern Region: Second Ebenezer Baptist Church

-Northwest Region: Lighthouse Community Church, 15820 Wyoming, Detroit

-West Region: Third New Hope (West Campus), 5439 West Warren Ave., Detroit

-Midtown Region: Citadel of Faith Covenant Church, 1419 West Warren Ave., Detroit

-Southwest Region: Grace In Action, 7725 West Vernor, Detroit

Gina Damron/Detroit Free Press

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Photo: Harriet Tubman Center

BY ORALANDAR BRAND-WILLIAMS / THE DETROIT NEWS

Detroit— Ministers representing about 30 local churches called for a cease-fire of violence in the city and officially unveiled a crime prevention program today at a news conference at Detroit Police headquarters

The community program, "Detroit Night Walks,"will involve pastors and church members walking parts of the city in an anti-crime effort.

Training for the program will begin as early as Friday, said Rev. Edgar Vann II, one of the key organizers of the program and pastor of Second Ebenezer Church in Detroit. There also will be a youth-led, anti-violence rally Saturday at five participating churches.

Detroit Night Walks is a component of the Cease Fire program used in other cities with crime problems.

"We want this to become like a new Neighborhood Watch," said Vann, referencing the nation-wide crime prevention program usually facilitated by a local law enforcement agency. Vann and the other pastors were joined by Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee, U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade and other local law enforcement officials.

"We're calling for a cease-fire in the city, said Vann today.

The program, said Vann, is also aimed at "changing hearts, changing minds and changing lives."

Godbee said the input of community organizations is very important to dealing with the crime issue in the city and that "we need to level every community organization," in the fight against crime.

"This is community commitment," Godbee said about the Detroit Nights Walks and Cease Fire programs. "This is community driven."

Brazen and burgeoning crime incidents in many of the city's neighborhood have residents worried what the summer will bring.

Last week, the city made national headlines after Rev. Marvin Winans, a Grammy Award-winning gospel artist and pastor of Perfecting Church was carjacked and assaulted at a CITGO gas station on Linwood and Davison.

McQuade praised the group's efforts saying, "we will not let Detroit be defined by violence."

"We're going to be part of the solution," said McQuade, who met with Vann and others a year ago about community programs aimed at reducing crime in the city.

McQuade said cities such as Chicago, Boston and Memphis have used the Cease Fire program, which is funded by the U.S. Justice Department as part of community groups' efforts to stamp out violence.

Cody High School junior Quentin McKinnon, a member of the YOUTH VOICE Clergy Team, said he is happy to see the churches getting involved.

McKinnon, 16, said he was attacked two years ago at a bus stop on the way home from school.

"I was startled and scared," said McKinnon, who said he began to "switch up" his routes to get to and from school to avoid being attacked again

"People are still being (attacked)," said McKinnon. "How many more people are going to be jumped? How many more people are going to be hurt?"

bwilliams@detnews.com

(313) 222-2027

LAUNCH INCLUDES A WEEKEND OF TRAINING AND PRAYER DEDICATED TO
ENDING THE VIOLENCE

Follows the nationally renowned “Boston TenPoint Coalition” Strategy

Detroit, MI – In just two months, more than 30 clergy and their congregations have answered the call to work with law enforcement on an initiative called “Detroit Night Walks.” “Today’s press conference is a call to action for more to join us. We have churches in all corners of Detroit, but we want to fill in as many neighborhoods as possible with a peaceful, but powerful presence,” said Detroit Police Commissioner Pastor James Warfield of Mt. Vernon Missionary Baptist Church. “We are not evangelizing, yet we are sending a spiritual message and hopefully opening up the lines of communication in the neighborhood,” said Bishop Edgar L. Vann II of Second Ebenezer Church. The two joined forces to launch “Detroit Night Walks,” as a strategy to help build community engagement and community trust. “Organizing to help prevent crime and stabilize our neighborhoods,” are the words of Minister James Booker, an organizer of the newly formed YOUTH VOICE Clergy Team of the Harriet Tubman Center. The reasons are obvious – according to the F.B.I., Detroit has 468 crimes per square mile and the national median is 39 crimes per square mile. “Too many are living in fear. Too many vulnerable are being preyed upon. Everyday counts, we have a sense of urgency around Detroit Night Walks,” said Vann.

Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee understands the community plays an integral role in crime prevention, and has consistently asked them to be the eyes and ears in their neighborhoods. “Night Walks takes this concept one step further and adds the presence of clergy with lay people. Clergy have the ability to broker trust in the community and their presence will be welcomed,” he said. “Night Walks,” is a component of the CEASE FIRE gun violence prevention strategy endorsed by the U.S. Department of Justice. “We are implementing CEASE FIRE in Detroit, which includes prevention, intervention and enforcement. We are most grateful to the clergy who are organizing Detroit Night Walks,” said U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade. “We need the community to work with law enforcement and this program exemplifies the prevention side of CEASE FIRE,” she said.

YOUTH VOICE Chief of Staff of the Executive Board, Quentin McKinnon, a junior at Cody Detroit Institute of Technology, is especially happy about Detroit Night Walks launching. “We really need CEASE FIRE now. People are getting jumped, robbed and beaten at my school’s bus stop. It is one thing to talk about crime prevention, but we really need to do something now,” he said.
Two trainings for “Night Walks,” will take place in May and June and a youth-led prayer rally will take place at five churches on May 26 (see information below).

Clergy and laypeople are invited to the following programs to launch Detroit Night Walks:

- May 25: Phase I of the Detroit Night Walks Training called “Violence as a Disease,” presented by Pastor Michael McBride, Director of PICO CEASEFIRE/Lifelines in Oakland, California. Presented by YOUTH VOICE & THE YOUTH VOICE CLERGY TEAM.

Friday, May 25
6pm-7:30pm
Second Ebenezer Church
14601 Dequindre
Followed by the first “Night Walk” at Solomon’s Temple @ 7:30pm
2341 E. 7 Mile Road

- May 26: 313 Youth Prayer Rally at five Detroit Churches at 2pm, with prayer at exactly 3:13pm. More than 2,000 youth are anticipated across the five churches.

1. Second Ebenezer Church, Bishop Edgar L. Vann II, Senior Pastor (Eastern Region) –
2. Lighthouse Community Church, Rev. Lemar A. Tabb (Northwest region)
3. 15820 Wyoming Detroit, MI 48238
4. Third New Hope (West Campus), Dr. E. L. Branch, Senior Pastor (West region)
5. 5439 West Warren Detroit, MI 48210
6. Citadel of Faith Covenant Church, Rev. Harvey Carey, Senior Pastor (Midtown region)
7. 1419 W. Warren Ave., Detroit, MI 48208
8. Grace In Action, John Cummings, Senior Pastor (Southwest region) 7725 West Vernor Detroit, MI 48209

- June 15: Phase II of Training for Detroit Night Walks – Location and Times TBD.

For information on the YOUTH VOICE CLERGY TEAM and trainings, contact Minister James Booker at 313.401.9661 or email james.booker@tubmanorganizing.org.

Trace Christenson/The Enquirer

Angel Mosby said a program like Street Court might have helped her years ago. / Trace Christenson/The Enquirer

Street Court might have helped Angel Mosby.

“If it would have been there, I would have had options,” she said. “I could have had options for community service.”

Mosby, 40, said she believes the new Street Court Battle Creek program means others can avoid jail and find ways to solve other problems.

“I didn’t have structure and no one to go to and talk to,” she said. “There are so many options with Street Court.”

The program, proposed months ago for Battle Creek, is expected to begin in June with an initial caseload of about 30 people, officials said this week.

“We have a lot of people who have worked really hard,” said Rev. Colleen Nelson, president of Creating Change. “We are ready to start.”

“We are going to do this thing,” Calhoun County District Court Judge John Holmes added at a meeting Monday about the beginning of Street Court.

The program is designed to help low-income people resolve non-violent misdemeanors and reduce or eliminate fees and costs. As part of the program, the participants must work with a service provider, like the Woman’s Co-Op, S.A.F.E. Place or Haven of Rest, to eliminate offending behavior.

Teresa Phillips, left, of the Woman’s Co-Op and Rev. Colleen Nelson of Creating Change. / Trace Christenson/The Enquirer

Teresa Phillips, executive director of the Woman’s Co-Op, said some people just do bad things and will continue no matter what help they receive and so are not candidates for Street Court.

“But some of the people are good folks who do things because they are desperate,” he said. “If we can get to folks and the underlying cause of why they commit crimes, we can help.”

Some people will be identified by prosecutors when their cases are sent for review but others will surface as they seek help from social agencies.

Phillips said a woman who was convicted of a minor crime and placed on probation completed it but because of her poverty was unable to pay her fines. The court then issued another warrant.

Many of the people who qualify for Street Court are caught in the system because they are poor, Holmes agreed.

“This is aimed at poor people who can’t deal with the system,” Holmes said. “They will have deferred prosecution or get them to do community service for their fines.”

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Steve Carmody/Michigan Radio

Photo by Steve Carmody/Michigan Radio

A new group is trying to organize clergy members statewide to address the problem of youth violence in Michigan.

The group Prophetic Voices gathered a Christian, Muslim and other religious leaders to a meeting in Lansing this past week. 

Reverend Ira Edwards is the spokesman for Prophetic Voices.   He says youth violence is hurting more than just young people in Michigan.

"Cause every time you have one youth kill another one…that’s two families that have been destroyed," says Edwards,  "And if we don’t do something to stem the tide…then we’re going to lose our youth.   And when Satan can destroy the youth…he can destroy the nation.”

The religious leaders hope to expand their membership in the year ahead…and come up with ways to lessen youth violence in Michigan.

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mcc-training-launch-faith-into-action-cbIvqEGJvJHxdokDJlHq.zip (5.16 MB)

The Metro Coalition of Congregations (MCC) trained and commissioned over 65 key lay leaders from faith communities across metro Detroit on Saturday. The leaders gathered at Central Woodward Christian Church in Troy, Michigan, to be trained to lead their own congregations through the process of congregation-centered community organizing. Tubman organizers Luke Allen and Bill O'Brien led the group through discussion of key organizing concepts, and Tim Lilienthal of the PICO National Network gave a presentation on what congregations have accomplished through organizing across the United States. The leaders were then blessed and commissioned by the clergy of the MCC including Chairperson Pastor Ben Sandin, and Vice Chair Pastor John Harvey. The leaders will build a listening team within each congregation and return on May 19 to launch a listening campaign.

For more information contact Luke Allen, Lead MCC Organizer, The Harriet Tubman Center: 313-870-7654, luke.allen@tubmanorganizing.org.

YOUTH VOICE President Lawrence Williams and Vice President Nicole Lassiter joined a delegation of Detroit officials in Washington D.C. for the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention earlier this month. Because of the city’s struggle with youth violence, Detroit is one of six cities selected by the Department of Justice to be a part of the federal youth violence prevention plan. 

City representatives, including Detroit Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (YVPI) chair and former Deputy Mayor Saul Green, the Mayor’s Chief Service Officer Annie Ellington, US Attorney Barbara McQuade, Chief of Police Ralph Godbee Jr.and other Detroit leaders, gave an update on the city’s efforts to reduce youth violence and listened to presentations from federal officials and other city representatives.

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Source: Elizabeth Balint

Sixteen community organizers from Eastern Europe were hosted in Detroit last week by Harriet Tubman Center staff.  They met with leaders and organizations across Metro Detroit including YOUTH VOICE, The Metro Coalition of Congregations, Detroit Action Commonwealth, ACCESS, and Second Ebenezer Church.

The organizers were in Detroit for 3 days as part of an extended visit to the United States to learn about community organizing in America.  Their goal is to learn tools and concepts that they can use to organize communities in their home countries, where organizing is in its infancy.

Two of the organizers, Lavina Chiburte of Romania, and Ester Nagy of Hungary, will be staying in Detroit for 3 weeks, and working with Tubman Organizer Luke Allen and the Metro Coalition of Congregations, as well as Vicki Kovari and the Michigan Organizing Collaborative.

In July 2012, Luke Allen will represent the Harriet Tubman Center on a 3-week reverse delegation to ECON in countries of Central and Eastern Europe.  Congratulations, Luke!!

This program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ Office Professional Fellows Exchange Program.

Our intern Diana Alvarez will be updating us every month about her expereinces community organizing with the Harriet Tubman Center in Detroit.  Here is her first installment:

I always knew that I wanted to be a community organizer—even before I knew what that meant. I had been to protests in Detroit with my mom as a kid and walked on picket lines in support of jobs and unions. I had been on Youth Council in high school, whose primary focus was on funding grants written by adolescents and teens in the Ann Arbor community. I knew that somehow I wanted to address community needs and work towards creating a socially just world – I just had no idea what that would look like or where I would fit in. At that point, I believed that I was aware of the majority of injustices faced by marginalized groups. Specifically I knew that I wanted to be a part of change—and that it would be possible to be a contributing member and force in the change process. However, one month ago when I started my internship at the Tubman Center I was unsure what I was going to be walking into and unsure of my own role and corresponding responsibilities. I had no idea what community organizing meant, or what I would be doing. I could not have imagined that within one month I would have been to a City Council meeting advocating to have a house torn down, or met with the Department of Transportation on two separate occasions regarding changing the bus schedules or that I would have met with 16 people involved in youth organizing in Detroit and Ann Arbor.

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