As Black Men, leaders, providers, fathers, brothers, and sons of the Black community of Westchester County, we cannot sit by without outrage and ager any longer.

It is unfortunate that the majority of the violence is perpetrated by 16-22 years old who have either dropped out of school, cannot find a means to make a living and turn to guns, “gangs,” and/or violence for means of survival. Already in 2009, Mt Vernon, a city with the highest percentage of Black men and women in Westchester County, New York has had nine homicides and a total of 27 homicides in the last 2 1/2 years. This means 27 men has lost their lives and 27 families have been affected forever! According to news reports, shooting incidents has jumped 59 percent in Mt. Vernon since last year. Why our local, state, and federal elected officials did not see a greater need to invest in our youth and in our community?

On a national level Black youth age 10 to 17 constitute 15% of their age group in the U.S. population, they account for 26% of juvenile arrests, 32% of delinquency referrals to juvenile court, 41% of juveniles detained in delinquency cases, 46% of juveniles in corrections institutions, and 52% of juveniles transferred to adult criminal court after judicial hearings.

Black families have the largest proportion of female headed households than any other subgroup. The number of two parent families has declined dramatically in recent years. More than 44% of black families are female headed and are raising a household at or below poverty level. We cannot pass the blame for our inactivity as Black men for not being on our post as husband, father, and head of household.

If our prospective leaders won’t take the role in challenging our local and state governmental officials for the survival of the Black community. As Black Men, it’s our moral, ethical, spiritual duty to step up. We cannot expect the Courts, Jails and Penitentiaries to truly save our youth. These are the same institutions that generate billions of dollars on the incarceration of our Black youth.

We have come so far from the morals and values that were pledged at the Million man March in 1995. The world watched as we took the oath for Freedom, Justice, Equality and to build a safe community for our families The Black Community; especially the Black Man must regain the commitment, the love, and the unity that we shown in at Million Man March fourteen years ago.

Damon K. Jones