May starts Violence Prevention Month in Milwaukee, join in and "be proactive instead of reactive"

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee has designated May as Violence Prevention Month. The idea came about last summer when a little girl was shot while playing on a playground. A year later, it's an organized effort to bring attention to how violence is hurting the city.

"Violence in Milwaukee is getting out of hand and I do not want to grow up in a city where you can't walk down the street from your house," said Erica Lofton, friends with Sierra Guyton.

Erica Lofton, a girl who was friends with Sierra Guyton, the 10-year-old shot and killed on a playground last year, lobbied for change in front of a Milwaukee Common Council committee. Moved by tragedy, council members took notice.

"We want to raise awareness of what can be done in your own community to combat violence, then actually get folks involved," said Milwaukee Alderman Ashanti Hamilton.

Alderman Ashanti Hamilton says city leaders approved and backed a resolution naming May Violence Prevention Month.

"We are bringing awareness to the violence, we are trying to empower the community and to stand. It's time to be proactive instead of reactive," said Tracey Dent, President of Peace for Change Alliance.

Dent says combating violence is an effort that takes the community's support.

"It's called Peace Ambassadors, and what it is, basically volunteers that live in the neighborhood patrol their own neighborhoods," said Dent.

Hamilton believes change will also come when the issues that contribute to the underlying factors of violence are addressed.

"The opportunities that exist in our neighborhoods has an effect on violence. If we can start talking about those things as well, we can start talking about unemployment, start talking about hiring people from particular neighborhoods that that will have a greater impact on being able to get control on violence in neighborhoods just as much if not more than just talking about guns," said Hamilton.

From churches to businesses to different resource groups, many say they have activities and informational sessions planned throughout the month to talk about solutions.

For more information on events planned during Violence Prevention Month, CLICK HERE.