St. Pete Launches 4th Annual 'Not My Son' Canvassing Initiative

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- St. Pete businesses, neighbors, parents, students, teams, clubs and religious groups are invited to join city officials and community partners during the fourth annual "Not My Son" community engagement campaign this summer.

Each Friday during the summer break, the city will take its message to the streets in an attempt to curb violence and create a safer environment for the city's teens.

Police Chief Anthony Holloway and Mayor Rick Kriseman headed up the first canvassing event May 31, walking the streets, speaking with neighbors and handing out "Not My Son" yard signs, T-shirts and pamphlets.

An offshoot of the My Brother's and Sister's Keeper initiative, Not My Son is an attempt to rally the community to reduce gun violence and create a safer city, said the Rev. Kenny Irby, community intervention director fot the city.

"It joins the sources of the community together to redirect the trajectory that we see in many of our young people, particularly African-American boys in our communities," he said. "It's not only happening in St. Petersburg, but across the nation.

"St. Pete is a safer city since the initiative's launch in 2016," said Holloway. "Fewer black teenagers and young men are turning to firearms to resolve conflicts."

He noted, however, the city has a long way to go. On Friday as volunteers canvassed the streets around St. Joseph Catholic Church on 22nd Avenue, a 19-year-old was shot and killed in the 4800 block of 20th Avenue South.

"Encouraging statistics and progress reports provide no comfort to the mother who finds her son face down in an alley," said Kriseman.

Community members are asked to take the Not My Son pledge by clicking here.

Upcoming canvassing dates include:

June 7 – Greater Mt. Zion AME Church
1045 16th St. S.

June 14 – New Faith Free Methodist Church
2427 Irving St. S.

June 21 – Collins-St. Mark AMEC
3631 22nd Ave. S.

June 28 – Historic Bethel AMEC
912 3rd Ave. N.

For more information, click here.

See related story: St. Pete Police Walk Neighborhood To Promote 'Not My Son'