A press conference on the Westside was just a few moments ago -- the TV stations were there but these are the first images of the street side meeting announcing the creation of The Latino Advocacy Task Force working against local violence and homicides.
The meeting started off with the perfunctory congratulatory announcements from Mattie Rhodes Center employees. Jackson County Prosecutor Jim Kanatzar was in the crowd and he noted his trust in the organization and hope of working with the group in the future.
However, the most powerful part of the small press conference was the testimony offered from the relatives of murder victims. Josie Garcia stood with the relatives of victims of violent crime and gave her testimony about the hardships she faced after her son was murdered. Because of a mis-communication she was unable to identify the body of her murdered son for 5 days as she hoped the he would walk through the door and disprove the devastating news she received.
Father Al of Sacred Heart-Guadalupe also presided over a brief prayer service after the press conference.
The details of the organization are pretty standard stuff . . .
The LAT is aimed and helping the Latino Community confront crime in a multi-faceted approach. Through Resource Referral, Personal Advocacy, And Public Mobilization the new group will offer their services to victims of crime and their families. KC Hispanic News publisher Joe Arce is the co-chair and the official press release announcing the group is detailed in his newspaper.
Basically . . .
THIS IS THE LOCAL LATINO VERSION OF THE AD HOC GROUP AGAINST CRIME NOW THAT HOMICIDES IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE ON THE RISE!!!
In 2009, eight of Kansas City's 110 homicides were Latino victims.
Former Mayor Funkhouser Assistant and School Board member Crispin Rea was instrumental in putting this group together. He is a Youth Advocate and Coordinator at the Kansas City Organization and he spoke of the need for this new group.
"This is something that we should have put together 5 years ago, we have a lot of catching up to do," Rea said.
Mattie Rhodes Center Executive Director and President of the Kansas City Park Board John Fierro detailed some of the new group's directives in helping Latinos navigate the court system and assisting families.
Former Councilman Alvin Brooks spoke of the work against homicides now uniting the Latino & African American Communities in Kansas City.
"Together Latino & African American Males represent the majority of homicides in Kansas City that outpace our population numbers. I'm happy to see this group working to stop this trend and providing essential resources. We look forward to partnering with them in the future."
On a bright, Saturday Morning it was a hopeful sign that Latinos are working to stop violence and murder in our community. A closing statement from Brooks spoke the heart of the issue as he noted that local murders aren't strictly a problem in the African-American or Latino community but present a challenge to all of Kansas City.
Good luck.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good start.
ReplyDeleteDear Tony,
ReplyDeleteAre all women bitches? Or just my ex-wife?
signed,
Lonely in KC
Stop snitching vato's!!!!!! Viva La Raza!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't care what a person's ethnicity is we should stand up against crime.
ReplyDeleteTony, based on the critiques I get about my writing length, maybe you need to shorten your rants to about a quarter page.
ReplyDeleteToo may of your readers just don't want to waste too many of their braincells on logic. Just tell them what to think and move on! Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Readers just can't tolerate too much high thinking.
Guess that's why they go to public schools where regular kids don't get overworked too much??
Lord knows, we don't want too many parents complaining about too high expectations!
bleh.
ReplyDeleteA few comments:
ReplyDeleteI believe this is one of the first times you have acknowledged Rea as a Funky crony.
It's interesting to me how you bag on the tax base neighborhoods when they stand up considering the embarrassing turnout of this gathering. A Chuckie Cheese birthday party dwarfs this turnout.
My suggestion: you have a podium. Why not promote racial unity rather than point out the divisions. Posts like this, in comparisons of the communities you are so jealous of, really emphasize the problems with our minority neighborhoods.
KCMO cannot exist without a tax base. That tax base is exiting the City. True leaders call out injustices but they also police their own. You have a voice...use it constructively.
You have to turn in your own to clean up your neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteIts time to pass gay marriage. Tony and Rea can be the first MO gay couple married. At least that would add some respectability to all the dick riding tony does.
ReplyDelete10:46, I think youre msg is bullshit and I don't look at this blog to read crap like that.
ReplyDeleteGrow up, I can't imagine anybody who would leave such a petty message would have anything to say that I might want to read. I already know there are petty bullshitters out there without being reminded they're also in this room.
I'd rather you go over to yahoo or someplace like that. We're a decade past 'don't ask, don't tell'.
Go back to Missisippi, dork. Do your sister again.
Gee, he wrote this so carefully, like a real jouralist. Guess this Latino story was a very important one for him to be so 'journalistic', as if he knew how to write a real article! But lets face it, he tried really hard at the craft, good Latino that he hopes to be! Too bad he doesn't do it all the TIME!
ReplyDelete