From a personal tragedy, one woman has found her cause, helping others.After unthinkably losing her son to gun violence, Celeste Williams, started an organization, Caring Capable Hands, to empower youth.And Tuesday afternoon, she stood alongside other community leaders in front of the City Hall Annex Building to talk about a major milestone that rarely, if ever, had been reached before in the city.2024 goes down in the history books as having been the “summer of peace,” when zero homicides reportedly were written up. Credit oftentimes given to organizations and individuals’ positive impact on kids.Councilman Frank Gilmore threw together an event to celebrate the major milestone in front of the City Hall Annex Building. (Credit: Andy Milone)“When I thought about having an organization, it was dedicated to families with mental and physical disabilities, that was what I was going to be doing, but God saw differently, and so Caring Capable Hands became an organization dedicated to youth,” said Williams.“Every initiative that we do, every move that we make, it is to get them (kids) out of a place of trauma, to get them to peace,” she added.Councilman Frank Gilmore, who called the event to highlight the collaboration and commitment to youth and peacebuilding, summed up the problem by describing who he believes is responsible for coming up with the solutions.“I wholeheartedly believe that violence is a people’s problem,” said Gilmore. “It’s going to take a people’s solution.”He said the gun violence problem has largely been in the “core” of Ocean Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive, where 70% of the homicides reportedly happened in Hudson County.The solutions now been thanks to a partnership between the municipal government, police department, parents and community organizations. Though there was little talk about policing, the councilman highlighted Jersey City Police Department’s efforts to recover handguns as part of the “collective effort,” with Public Safety Director James Shea, Police Chief Tawana Moody and Mayor Steve Fulop looking on.The mayor highlighted gun violence as a “public health issue.”“These past couple years they’ve dedicated two million dollars toward domestic violence issues to make sure we’re dealing and confronting and giving the resources to that,” said Fulop. John Boamah, vice president of Blacks in Law Enforcement Servicing the Community, spoke about the power in unity – having previously lacked in the community – and credited everyone who wakes up with a “selfless mindset to give back” and “change the narrative.”Boahmah said the narrative falls onto the backs of the adults.He called on them to pour their “wisdom” and “love” into the kids, and to establish connections with admirable adults “to change the landscape of this city for the better.”“When people say, ‘Our youth are lost,’ I say no, ‘you’ve lost your way.’ The only way we can bear fruit is if we plant the right seeds,” Boamah said, “And if the roots are weak — and we are the roots – the tree won’t grow, so let us continue to be the foundation. Let us continue to be the roots that make this city great.”Councilman Frank Gilmore threw together an event to celebrate the major milestone in front of the City Hall Annex Building. (Credit: Andy Milone)That foundation could be established through the game of basketball, or even having a leader that looks like kids in the schools. Many brought up Chris Gadsden, principal of Abraham Lincoln High School.Shawn Bruce, founder of Sav’n Block, put his team in the spotlight – his daughter Latifah Smith of Styleurlife, as well as Amir Murphy of Future of Decisions, Hanif Crawford of NXT Step LLC and Tyhaze Williams of Caring Capable.He explained how his “passion and heart is with these kids,” and referenced those who “give, give, give.”“These are my brothers and sisters. They work hard every day – every day, I want you to know that, every day. This is not a suit and tie game,” said Bruce. “I want you all to know that, and we’re doing this without getting paid.”He wanted to talk about the truth, whether it was those who, unfortunately “benefit from kids’ pain,” but also the good of the leaders.His list included Commissioner Jerry Walker and Gilmore.“Councilman Gilmore. Let’s talk about him,” said Bruce. “He’s the same one that y’all threw in the garbage. But look at him now. Me and Gilmore sat for hours talking about what we going to do with these kids, and we couldn’t figure it out. I barely sleep, but Gilmore look at it now. Look at it right now. Zero.”The post With Zero Homicides, Community Leaders Celebrate ‘Summer of Peace’ appeared first on Jersey City Times.