R&B Group WanMor to perform at all locations to raise awareness and promote solutions for gun violence
Dr. Michael McGee, MD, MPH, founder and director of Project Outreach and Prevention (POP) on Youth Violence [www.poponviolence.org] announces a week long series of events across Chicago and Northwest Indiana, titled the “Peace, Unity, and Love Tour,” during National Youth Violence Prevention Week, April 22 – 26, 2024. Events are scheduled to include approximately five thousand area school children.
POP events begin Tuesday, April 23rd at Art in Motion High School, Chicago IL from (1:00pm to 3:00pm). Wednesday April 24th at Lake County Juvenile Detention Center (1:00pm to 3:00pm); also, on Wednesday at 7pm central; POP, the National Medical Association (NMA) and Howard University’s Centers of Excellence, sponsored by the DC Department of Health will hold a webinar – Violence Prevention Town Hall Panel Discussion. Guests include Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Brenda Goss Andrews, Dr. Kenneth Wilson, Dr. Abdullah Hasan Pratt, Jada Watts from Howard University Hospital. Please register at https://bit.ly/4aXEyn3; Thursday April 25th at Hammond Central High School (9:00am to 11:00am) at East Chicago Central (12:30pm to 2:30pm); Friday, April 26th at Merrillville High School (9:00 am to 11:00am); and West Side Leadership Academy in Gary, IN (12:30pm to 2:30pm).
Dr. McGee, a renowned emergency department (ED) physician, who is the national chair of the National Medical Association’s Council on Violence Prevention, and the non-profit organization POP, has also partnered with Friendly Temple COGIC, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Positive Approach to Teen Health, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) for Northwest Indiana, to host these series of gun violence prevention events, that will include demonstrations on “Stop the Bleed” a POP initiative, motivational speakers and live music performances.
Gun violence has reached epidemic proportions in U.S., and increasingly a more critical concern for communities across the country, with over 45,000 gun-related deaths occurring each year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In Chicago alone, there were over 617 homicides and 2,450 shootings across Chicago throughout 2023, according to Chicago Police Department data.
“Seeing firsthand an increase in gun-related injuries, especially among children and adolescents, we have a responsibility as a nation to not only educate our students, but also to ensure their safety and well-being,” said Dr. McGee. “By hosting these events, we hope to elevate this important conversation, perhaps influence legislation surrounding gun violence, and empower our community to take action in preventing it.”
Project Outreach and Prevention (POP) on Youth Violence [www.poponviolence.org] is a not-for-profit organization created to prevent and alleviate Youth Violence, while inspiring healthy lifestyles, positive behaviors, and accessible career opportunities. POP provides outreach services, educational seminars, as well as college and career readiness opportunities. Achieved by encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, by joining with active community partners to create safe, fulfilling and academically enriching environments.
