Hope Conference geared to help reduce violence, return ex-cons to society

YOUNGSTOWN — Promoters of Hope Conference believe the event will be another tool to reduce violence in the city and Valley.

The event next Thursday at Kilcawley Center of Youngstown State University is directed at returning citizens — or ex-prison inmates who have served their sentences; and anyone with a state, county, federal or juvenile felony or misdemeanor. Also attending will be people who work with this part of the population.

Recently, Guy Burney, Community Initiative to Reduce Violence coordinator; Toni Tablack of Job and Family Services and Child Suppert Enforcement; Lola Simmons, re-entry coordinator of Home for Good at ACTION (Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods; and the Rev. Willie Peterson, pastor of NewBirth Kimmelbrook Church and executive director of Center for Community Empowerment at Rockford Village, met to discuss the conference.

“The mandate is to reduce violence and this is one way,” Burney said. “Returning citizens must be able to access resources and find a way to be productive again.”

Simmons added that the conference ”is about educating this group of people who need help.” She said this effort will help “reduce recidivism.”

For the complete story, read Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com