First hour: Activist Justin Morris on how to curb gun violence in Rochester
Second hour: Previewing the 2024 MLK Living the Dream Series
43 people in Rochester lost their lives to gun violence last year. That’s according to data from the Rochester Police Department. Nearly one year ago, we sat down with anti-gun violence activist Justin Morris to discuss efforts to curb the violence. There were fewer deaths in 2023 than in the previous two years, and Morris says there’s a lot more work to be done. This hour, Morris is back in the studio to discuss strategies and programs offered through Untrapped Ministries and its Gun Violence Prevention Hub. Our guest:
- Justin Morris, founder and CEO of Untrapped Ministries Gun Violence Prevention and Community Empowerment Organization
- Ann Lewis, project administrator for the Gun Violence Prevention Hub at Untrapped Ministries
Then in our second hour, a local group is drawing from the message of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to help bridge divides in the community. The annual MLK Living the Dream Series is scheduled for this month in Pittsford. This year’s theme is “building a coalition of love.” This hour, we preview the series’ educational and celebratory events, and we discuss the group’s goals. In studio:
- Kevin S. Beckford, operations executive and founder of the Pittsford MLK Living the Dream Series
- Reverend Julius “JD” Jackson, Jr., pastor at the United Church of Pittsford
- Tharaha Thavakumar, president of Pittsford CommUNITY
- Annalise Johnson-Smith, board member and secretary of Pittsford CommUNITY
