ROCKFORD — One of the leading causes of death of young Black and Hispanic men in Illinois and throughout the country is gun violence.
Willette Benford, a member of LIVE FREE Illinois, which works to end gun violence and mass incarceration, wants to do something about it. She and other organization members are embarking on a statewide campaign urging state and local officials to invest money from President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan into community-centered gun violence prevention programs.
Benford will join LIVE FREE Illinois-Rockford chapter members and local faith leaders at 3 p.m. Friday at the Spirit of Truth Church, 828 First Ave., where they will discuss how the gun violence prevention programs will make the city safer without increasing the presence of police.