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For Immediate Release
13 Mayors and 57 Cities Gather at Cities United Convening to Stop the
Violence Harming African American Men and Boys
Leaders will focus reducing the violence that kills 13 African American men and boys every 24 hours
Philadelphia, April 29, 2015 — Thirteen U.S. Mayors and more than 303 city leaders from 57
municipalities nationwide will meet in Philadelphia today to develop concrete action plans to reduce the
violence plaguing African American men and boys in communities across the nation.
The second annual Cities United Convening, Mobilizing for Change, is a three-day gathering that will
facilitate interactive dialogue between mayors, youth and thought leaders from across the country.
Subject matter experts, including representatives from foundations, will share technical assistance and
capacity building strategies with cities aimed at improving outcomes for African American men and boys.
City representatives will collaborate to create concrete action plans to implement in their home cities.
The featured speakers include Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter; Ronald Davis, Director of the
President’s Task Force on 21 Century Policing; Shawn Dove, CEO of the Campaign for Black Male
Achievement; Dr. William C. Bell, president and CEO of Casey Family programs; and Tim Wise, essayist,
educator and author of White Like Me.
Homicide is the leading cause of death for African American males between the ages of 15 and 24
according to the Centers for Disease Control. Conference participants will tackle related topics that
include: youth violence prevention; recognizing and responding to trauma in the lives of black boys and
young men; improving employment outcomes among African American youth; and effective strategies for
engaging philanthropy.
“We are losing precious human lives at an unprecedented rate while draining our communities of
valuable resources,” says Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. “At this Cities United convening, we will
have all hands on deck to address this complex problem. Together, with collaboration and dogged
determination, we can turn this tide of violence around and restore peace on our streets.”
Cities United was launched in 2011 by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who partnered with New
Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Casey Family Programs’ President and CEO William C. Bell to forge a
national network of communities focused on eliminating violence in American cities related to African
American men and boys. Today this movement has grown to 74 U.S. mayors committed to working with
community leaders, families, youth, philanthropic organizations and other stakeholders to reduce the
epidemic of homicides and violence plaguing African American men and boys. These cities are also
focused on restoring hope to their communities and building pathways to justice, employment, education
and increased opportunities for citizens.
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