The USV Forum May, 2019

Minister Freda Mathis spoke at The Unspoken Sounds of Violence Forum in Columbus Ga, 2019. She spoke about how violence can have a lasting effect on victims and family and friends of victims. She spoke about a personal experience with having nightmares after her brother had been stabbed and how she dealt with the pain and trauma of being stalked, attacked and beaten held her hostage by fear, insecurity, and loss of independence. She also brought up key points on how communities can band together to stop violence by creating neighborhood watch programs, increasing police presence in crime riddled neighborhoods, and working with city managers, and district council members to come up with solid solutions to end violence. She reminded the people that it is their neighborhoods and their responsibility to get involved in eliminating random acts of violence. Violence will happen no matter what is done or said but for neighborhoods that unite together to clean up the violence will surely see a reduction in random acts of violence as well. Minister Mathis is immediately in the process of getting ready for next year.