Mayors, Youth and Community Leaders March for Hope in Birmingham
MEDIA ADVISORY
Media Contacts:
April Odom, Mayor’s Office of Public Information, 205-807-7411
Debayani Kar
Bilen Mesfin Packwood
March for Hope press conference
Mayors, Youth and Community Leaders March for Hope in Birmingham
3rd Annual Cities United convening builds on city’s civil rights legacy to change the odds for African American men and boys
Birmingham, AL—The 300 mayors, youth, city and community leaders in Birmingham for the 3rd Annual Cities United convening will kick off their efforts on Tuesday evening with a March for Hope to change the odds for African American men and boys. These leaders are building on the city’s civil rights legacy to address the urgent crisis faced by our men and boys.
With homicide as the leading cause of death for African American men and boys age 10-24, U.S. mayors and city leaders are gathering in Birmingham, Ala., from May 3 to May 5 to share ideas and solutions to reduce violence and restore hope and opportunity. The convening will kick off with a March for Hope through the streets of Birmingham.
The 2016 Cities United convening, The Fierce Urgency of Now (#FierceUrgency16), is a three-day gathering that will provide cities with crucial tools and resources to build on and accelerate efforts to reduce violence and improve outcomes for African American men and boys across the United States. The convening will feature interactive dialogue among leaders from across the country.
The 2016 convening is being sponsored by Casey Family Programs, Campaign for Black Male Achievement, the Jacob & Valeria Langeloth Foundation, Association of Black Foundation Executives, Birmingham Coca-Cola, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, BBVA Compass, Alabama Power Foundation, MAX, Thornton Enterprises Inc., McDonald’s Central Alabama Operators, Arcadis and Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau.
###
ABOUT CITIES UNITED:
Cities United was launched in 2011 by Philadelphia Mayor, Michael Nutter, who partnered with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Casey Family Programs President and CEO, William C. Bell, Campaign for Black Male Achievement CEO, Shawn Dove and the National League of Cities 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 nearly 80 cities 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 also are focused on restoring hope to their communities and building pathways to justice, employment, education and increased opportunities for residents. For more information: http://www.citiesunited.org/. Twitter: @CitiesUnited.
