This past Martin Luther King Jr. day saw a host of community events around Philadelphia with opportunities for residents to connect and support each other. Social media was full of posts of “How we spent MLK day” posts. While it’s important to show up on MLK day, we at Resolve want to make sure it’s clear that it’s important to show up every day.
Some of the Community Engagement team at Resolve spent their MLK day with a community partner Derek Pratt of We Embrace Fatherhood, Mill Creek Community Partnership and others in the Mantua community. This event offered activities for youth, free haircuts, and the opportunity to connect with others about stopping the gun violence epidemic in the city.
This event was meaningful and impactful, but it was also just one event the Resolve team has spent in the Mantua community throughout the year.
Just a few months ago Resolve hosted a workshop in the neighborhood to discuss how to get candidates and elected officials to answer questions that really matter to residents. In August, Resolve hosted a Sound Off to discuss the issues with city systems and potential solutions.
As Derrick Cain, Director of Community Engagement at Resolve said “we show up as if every day was MLK day. It’s important to highlight that one day of the year, but also how it’s not the first time we spent time with the Mantua community, nor will it be the last.”