Every April 3rd, the birthday of my brother James E. Davis is a reminder of the human impact of violence in our communities.
Throughout his life and career as a New York City Council member, James was committed to saving lives by supporting conflict resolution, drug abuse prevention and youth mentoring programs. But he was still taken from us too soon – by an act of violence that he had no chance of preventing.
James’ memory and legacy are my inspiration for working harder every day to stop the violence in our Crown Heights community. I know he has inspired so many others to do the same.
The reality is that we still have so much work to do in Crown Heights. Too many young people in our community do not have positive outlets through which to develop their talents – and they become trapped on paths that lead to committing or falling victim to violence.
In my experience, this is often the result of a simple problem. Young people lack access to the athletic facilities and afterschool programs that can empower them to build leadership skills and achieve their goals.
Our community now has a remarkable opportunity to build on my brother’s legacy and take a huge step toward stopping the violence in Crown Heights. We have a chance to transform the Bedford-Union Armory into a quality recreational center that will finally give our young people the safe space and programs they need to explore their passions, expand their knowledge and avoid the dangerous paths that lead only to pain and heartbreak.
And we don’t just have a vision at the Armory – there is a plan to achieve it. The city’s rec center proposal would create new basketball courts, indoor athletic fields and a swimming pool – all of which will be accessible to our young people and other community members through free and low-cost programming.
Along with this athletic space, non-profit organizations at the Armory will provide academic tutoring, college prep and other afterschool activities that offer the perfect skill-building complement to youth sports.
Simply put, this project can be a game changer for Crown Heights.
My brother James can’t be here to join me in this push for positive change – but I feel stronger when I think about how committed he would be to making the new Armory a reality. If he were here, I know he would remind me just how important it is to seize this opportunity.
So let’s stand united and work together as a community to make this happen. Let’s help stop the violence in Crown Heights by giving our young people a better path forward.
