Coming together to create change: Brainstorming solutions to violence at "Heal the Hood" event



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Outrage from city leaders (including Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett) and Milwaukee residents after a 10-year-old girl is caught in the crossfire while playing on the playground. Little Sierra Guyton was seriously injured when she was shot near 28th and Clarke last week. This is the latest violent incident affecting the city of Milwaukee in recent weeks. During "Ceasefire Week," we saw an 11-year-old girl shot and injured -- and a triple shooting in which two people lost their lives. So what can be done to put a stop to all the violence? In Milwaukee on Sunday, May 25th, Alderwoman Milele Coggs invited residents concerned about the violence to the third annual "Heal the Hood" block party this weekend.

Taking back the streets of Milwaukee -- one community at at time.

Neighbors came together on Sunday for the third annual "Heal the Hood" block party on the city's north side.

Sunday's event took place from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. near 24th and Keefe.

The event included food, vendors, entertainment -- and an opportunity for like-minded neighbors to come together and brainstorm solutions to violence.

"We want to address economic disparities. We want address political misrepresentations, legal misrepresentation -- all these sort of things that cause poverty to fall so heavily among Milwaukee's inner city," Ajamou Butler, the founder of the "Heal the Hood" event.

Wendy Winston was born in the inner city -- and now she works to help those like her -- serving as a youth counselor.

She says she can't wait for people to seek her out -- saying that sometimes, people who need the most help don't even know it's out there.

"There are so many things that are available to our children, but we have to have that desire to get them in that," Winston said.

It is a message that continues to be spread to anyone who will listen. Violence is a sickness that can be cured.

"Our hope is people link up together to work together because we each have the power to make change to the conditions in this community, in our own households, in our families and our own blocks," Alderwoman Coggs said.

The founder of "Heal the Hood" says after three successful years on Keefe -- he wants to take the block party to other neighborhoods in the city.