in response to the mayor's direction to immediately interrupt, we are working very closely with our criminal justice partners. in addition to that, we have opened an office in bayview to bring our staff closer to the population that they are here to serve. [applause] that office opened on august 1. in addition to that, through the support of the mayor and board, we will be completing evidence- based individualize risk and needs assessment of the cases that we are supervising an employee in the use of investment of over $4.7 million in the city's money that they have invested in the employment education, mental health, housing, and treatment. we have also created specialized caseloads for those high-risk transitional-age youth, including gender-responsive caseloads so we can meet the needs of our young men and

women. in addition to that, we have an enhanced collaboration as a member of the gang task force in working with the department of public health crisis response services and also utilizing sanctions and reward given to us by realignment legislation, including the use of electronic monitoring technology. in addition to that, we will be opening a community assessment services center that will provide wraparound services, again providing opportunity to change their lives. education and service and skill development is key for long-term change. thank you. [applause] >> ok, i know it is getting hot in here. hang on. we only have 13 more speakers. just kidding. i would like to bring up one of our newest community partners. >> good morning, everyone.

when we moved into this community, we wanted to have a space that will be designated for reaching our community and kids and how symbolic and fitting it is for us to be gathered here as we applaud our mayor and his administration for his engaging mannerism over the past several months, as myself and several members of our faith community have been the recipients of his encouragement, his open door, his open heart, and his open hands to listen to our voices as we have expressed the concerns of our community in and around safety and violence in the neighborhoods. our mayor has heard the voices of the community and of concerned citizens, and today, we stand in partnership with him and commitment to our mayor and to this great city that we will stand together for the futures

of our youth are all the things that make for a positive and great city known as san francisco. we are here today to ensure that all the partners who stand to get our unified as one and in the spirit of the rev. jesse jackson, we want to make sure that san francisco for our youth and communities, we continue to keep hope alive. thank you. [applause] >> part of keeping hope alive is we have to provide an economic engine to get our young people back to work so they are able to take care of themselves and oftentimes their families. with that, i would like to introduce to you mr. eric mcdonald, the executive director of the united way. thank you. [applause] >> good morning again. welcome, everyone. we are excited and thrilled to be partners here with the mayor. what is clear is that while the

unfortunate rise and peak of gun violence brings us to the room, it also gives us what we believe is an enormous opportunity. these spikes, ago, and what we have now is an opportunity to cast a vision. we know that without a vision, people perish. we can cast a vision and develop an action plan that is based upon mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual accountability. the mayor and all of our city partners can create that plan were we will engage all sectors. we will engage residents. we will engage the private sector, creating work force and job development opportunities. we will engage our faith-based community who are already providing tremendous leadership, and we will make sure there is a coordinated, comprehensive plan that is sustained. there's a process that brings us to the end, and the city goes

out. that is nobody's intention, and yet, it is the life cycle of the epidemic that confronts our community. today, we are saying we will commit ourselves to a sustained effort to insure we create a new vision, a new opportunity for our communities to thrive so that in the end, there is opportunity for our young people. opportunity for our adults, an opportunity for our communities to thrive. i would say that the opportunity we have requires that everyone who claims to love san francisco plays an active role in helping this plan sustain itself. it is not the city only. it is not the clergy only. it is not the non-profits only. not the private sector only. it is residents. it is everyone playing a role. i would challenge everyone -- what are you doing today to be part of the intervention, the interruption, and the opportunity for young people in particular to realize their potential? i believe today we can do it,

and i am honor to stand with the mayor, the board of supervisors, and all of our city partners to make it happen. thank you so much. [applause] >> the next man i will bring up probably needs. -- very little introduction, but he is one of our community partners who has been helping us coordinate this conversation so it is not solely happening in isolated communities, so that we are talking to one another, and is a fantastic representative and my brother in the samoan community. >> thank you, supervisor cohen. first of all, i would like to thank the mayor and other city officials for all his encouragement, but i want to thank you all because you see it everyday. you're dealing with it every day. as the chief said earlier, we need them guns off the street. the people have the guns are bold. the incident that happened in alice griffith park, after they

shot this man, they came back wanting to leave their mark the day before the funeral. that is bold. knowing that the police is a round, that is bold. we need to come together. let's make an effort to make sure that this is a safe city, a place we would all like to live in, and a place we want to see our kids continue to play. sometimes the kids cannot even go outside and play. i am assured the chief has got that on his mind and is going to make sure that will change. i am sure mr. alvarez has that on his mind. you heard the mayor -- it is going to change. let's get together, forget about yourself. it ain't about us. it is about them. you all ain't packing -- i hope not. you all are not committing crime after hours. i hope not. a lot of you seem a little old to do time. [laughter] i want to make sure everybody hears it, not only the people at the top, but all of us at the

bottom are trying to make sure this thing works. without our kids, we have got no future. you can kid yourself all you want -- you have two contracts. when you are born, you're going to die. hopefully before you are gone, you have left a legacy of some people that can carry on and move it forward. that is what we're talking about, the future. we will probably all get to a point where we will say we will move or do something else, but those kids have still got to be here. san francisco still is a resident, family community. i want to see that it growing again. i want to thank the mayor, his staff, and the people that have been working with us. we made sure that we responded with them. so god bless everybody, and let's keep up the work. like the chief said, if you know somebody with a gun, you ain't got to turn it in. go to the public -- go to the

pastor, the faith community, just turn it in. if you do not turn it and, somebody might use it. thank you. [applause] supervisor cohen: one of the critical part is that gets little attention is our media partners. oftentimes, your first on the scene to report a lot of information, and oftentimes, our narrative is a story of crime, destruction, hate, turmoil. we are looking to our media partners to remember that they are uplifting, positive, exciting stories that are happening, and we look to you to respond. please report the positive things. the kids that are going to college, the kids that are taking care of their business, buying homes, and that are absolutely working. this is definitely a two-way street, a partnership. i am reaching out to members of the public and members of the press to help us. we are standing as one as a

community because all of our collective interest is tied together. i would like to introduce to you a man who will give us our youth perspective. many of us have spent our lives growing up and working in san francisco -- to put it frankly, this is just the future right here. i will leave it at that. thank you very much. [applause] >> hello. i would like to thank the sheriff, the police, and the puc for the opportunity to work at the garden project, and it is my third year. it helped me with a lot. it helped me pay bills with my mom and helped me continue going to school because it is hard. people need money to go to school and need money to pay bills to put food on the table. it is real hard. i have to help my mom out with

the money i get. if i'm not working during the school year, i cannot help her out, and she has to borrow money from other people and pay them back, and that is a hassle. also, if she cannot make money, i would probably be on the streets selling drugs, robbing for myself to pay money in her pocket. i want to go to college and see what i can do in the future and have a future and -- i am nervous. i am sorry. this is my first time -- [applause] i am a college student. i am going to san francisco state university, and i am try ing to do nursing, because it is

something i have been interested in since my brother got killed four years ago. that is what made me want to not be on the wrong path because i do not want to hurt and lose another child. that thank you. thank you very much. thank you, everyone. [applause] not only is he our future, but he is also a healer. with that, i just want to say thank you for your time today. we appreciate everything that you have done, and we are honored by your commitment. thank you. [applause] >> let me say something before you break. i am amos brown. as the mayor said -- could i have everyone's attention? could i have everyone's attention? i am president of the national association of advancement of

colored people. for the naacp, colored comes in all colors, but there is one color in the rainbow that is almost diminished, and that is the black color. i want to thank the mayor or listening to those of us who've met with him to share our perspective on what we should do collectively and not in isolation to make sure we will not have another press conference to bemoan, complain,

wine, cry -- whine, cry about this problem of violence. some do not like to hear this true statement, but the bible says ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. this community will never be free. we will never be liberated from this problem until all of our allies and our friends acknowledge that the epicenter of this problem comes from folk who look like me. i have presided over too many funerals. possibly more than any preacher in this town. persons who are not members of

third baptist church. but we are gracious to let them have our facility, to accommodate them. i feel that we have something to shout about today. no stop and frisk. the mayor has said that. but the mentor of martin luther king said, "he or she who is behind in the race of life must run faster in order to catch up ." we do not have stop and frisk. in this city, we have to run faster to make sure there is not another death. we have to run fast, and make sure there are jobs. run fast to make sure there is education. run fast to make sure there is housing. run fast, so that we will love each other. this is what the naacp is committed to.

a lot has been stated here. there was some great rhetoric, some terrific ideas and plans. but this is just like getting ready to drink a cup of coffee. you can have all of the cream, all of the coffee, all of the sugar, but, like maxwell house's slogan says, it will never be good until the last drop unless you stir it up, and you will be able to drink and say, "it is good until the last drop." the naacp will be starring you up to make sure that all we have said that is in this cup will be good to the last drop. >> thank you, reverend brown. think the mayor. think members of the press. thank you to the community and

the board of supervisors. thank you for being here. god bless you.