Birmingham City Councilor LaTonya Tate, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, has been using her platform to tell Birmingham’s story on a nation level in recent months.
From sponsoring youth-focused events, to speaking on panels, to funding violence intervention programs like Credible Messenger, Councilor Tate has been working to build out Birmingham’s public safety ecosystem.
Last week, Birmingham City Councilor LaTonya Tate was accepted into the University of Chicago’s Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy.
Councilor Tate is one of 70 members of the cohort, representing 20 states across the country. The goal of this endeavor is to reduce gun violence in communities by bringing together policymakers for a rigorous education program on data-driven management, violence reduction, and community engagement. The cohort will convene over the next several months to discuss ways to improve public safety and how to invest in community-based solutions to violence intervention.
“My office is committed to helping establish community-driven programs and policies that can be an outlet for our young people who often feel hopeless or lost,” Councilor Tate said. “Police are not there to solve all our problems — that is the task of our community, our neighbors, friends and family. We must start treating this like the public health crisis it is. Gun violence causes serious harm to the mental health and economic opportunities for the entire community. We have to come together as a community – one voice – and say enough is enough.”
Councilor Tate was in Arlington, Virginia earlier this month representing the City at the 4th Annual National Returning Citizens Conference. There she served as one of the panelists for a plenary session with elected leaders discussing efforts to reduce recidivism.
April is National Second Chance Month, and the conference focused on why it’s important for justice-impacted individuals to have second chances.
This is an issue that Councilor Tate has taken an active role in addressing, especially here in Birmingham. She’s been working to build out a robust network of organizations that provide mentorship and support for young people who have been caught up in the judicial system.
During the conference, Councilor Tate was able to network with officials from all over the country, including the Federal Bureau of Prisons and non-profits focused on second chance rehabilitation. “Building relationships is crucial for the work we are trying to do in Birmingham,” Councilor Tate said. “We want to have a seat at the table so Birmingham can help lead the way on this issue that has impacted so many historically underserved communities for far too long.”