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Kansas City-area clergy members asking for 21 days of no violence

Clergy Members in KC
Posted at 12:45 PM, Jun 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-12 18:13:44-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Clergy members in the Kansas City, Missouri, are asking for three weeks of no violence, starting on Sunday.

"It is time for our community to declare that we are no longer sitting back," Pastor Cassandra Wainright, with the Concerned Clergy Coalition said.

Clergy members gathered on Saturday to declare the the violence plaguing KCMO neighborhoods must stop and are asking for the community's help.

"(We're asking people) To participate in 21 days of peace and non violence beginning June 13th, at 12:01am," Dr. Vernon Percy Howard, Jr., Senior Pastor at The Historic St. Mark Church of KCMO. said.

That means no homicides, and no guns. They just want peace.

"We are asking individuals to receive the resources and services that we are providing including conflict resolution and mediation services," Howard said.

This comes as Kansas City has dealt with weeks of constant violence. According to the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department, 66 people in Kansas City have been killed so far this year.

"We're not making good and healthy choices," Janay Reliford-Davis, founder of Camp Choice said.

Families of those victims of gun violence say they hope this solution helps save a life.

"People say what did you as a parent do. It's not what we as parents did, its what society did," Davetta Whitmill who's daughter was murdered in March said. "It's how the friends and the streets have a bigger impact on our children than we do."

She, along with clergy members said enough is enough.

"I know I can't stop this but please 21 days is not too much to ask for," Whitmill said.