CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio — She is known in the city of Cleveland for her neighborhood approach to steering people away from violence and is now taking her voice and expertise across Cuyahoga County.
The county tapped Myesha Watkins to lead its new Office of Violence Prevention.
Watkins, who is the executive director for the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, says this is her calling.
“I am still the same Myesha forever in the community and now just trying to figure out how we bring those voices to the county,” Watkins said.
She was one of 116 who applied for the position.
“My thought process was and still is that any life lost in any city in our county is a problem. How do we address it and provide support for those other municipalities in addition to the city of Cleveland,” Watkins said.
She says her focus is on understanding the underlying issues in all forms of violence, from suicide to gun crimes.
Just last month, Cleveland alone saw more than a dozen people shot on back-to-back weekends.
On June 16, a block party on Luther Avenue left one dead and five others hurt.
"We got to do better, we got to treat each other better,” Dion Barksdale said.
On June 8, seven people survived being shot at a Lee Harvard shopping center car meet. Watch more:
Watkins said one of the victims participated in her program.
"That young person understood the importance of gun violence awareness,” Watkins said.
During an April county council meeting, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner talked about homicide numbers with county council members.
Dr. Thomas Gilson was pleased to say a downward trend is continuing.
“Starting off 2025 we’re down ten from through the first quarter so we had 46 homicides through the first quarter and change in 2024 and we’re down to 36 in 2025,” Gilson said.
Last September, after a teen was shot and killed near a Euclid fire station, Watkins called for an expansion of programs throughout the county. Watch more:
RELATED: 15-year-old charged with murder after teen dies in shooting outside Euclid fire station
"So many variables that go into young people feeling unsafe,” Watkins said.She says there will always be challenges.
Back in April, Cleveland Peacemakers lost a $2 million federal grant that was split among three organizations as city council members declared gun violence a health crisis. Watch more:
RELATED: 'It’s calling out people to be accountable': Gun violence declared a public health crisis
“More collaboration and not having to depend on federal dollars that are being cut without any sensitivity to the American people,” Watkins said.
Watkins says partnerships between cities and the county are building blocks.
“What may start in Cleveland can end up in Shaker and having the money to resource and deploy and support those directly impacted would be great,” Watkins said.
Watkins is eager to begin her new role with the county with a call to action for those who didn’t get selected but share her passion.
“If you were interested initially, continue to be and let’s do it together,” Watkins said.
Watkins starts with the county on Aug. 11. She says Cleveland Peacemakers will begin looking for her replacement on Monday.
