CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio — As June kicks off National Gun Violence Awareness Month, Cuyahoga County is busy looking for someone to lead its new Office of Violence Prevention.
But before anyone is selected, Michelle Bell, a community activist with M-PAC Cleveland, told News 5 she hopes this person understands the community’s needs.
“It will take a unique person to fill those roles,” said Bell.
When News 5 met Bell on Sunday, she wore orange to stand in solidarity with National Gun Violence Awareness Month.
“On February 10, 2019, my son’s life was ended because of gun violence,” said Bell.
Now, more than six years later, Bell works with several gun violence and violence prevention organizations and leads M-PAC Cleveland, an initiative she created to help survivors of gun violence through more prayer, activity and conversation.
“I’ve been passionate about... what can I do to prevent another mother from experiencing the pain that I feel [and] have to live with for the rest of my life,” said Bell.
While Bell recognizes the importance of this work, she said she can’t do it alone, so she and Cheryl Pritchard, a community activist with Planting Positive Seeds and Retention 216, praise the creation of Cuyahoga County’s Office of Violence Prevention.
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The announcement was made last month in an effort to coordinate with community partners to implement violence prevention measures, mostly targeted at teenagers.
“It’s not a city issue. Our community is too close, and so the county needs to get involved because Cuyahoga County needs some help,” said Pritchard.
Now, Pritchard said she hopes the leader who is selected will have the same passion she carries out in her organization.
“I’m about policy. I’m about change. I’m about giving the community information they need to so that they know that, how can they help to make these changes,” said Pritchard.
Other qualities include having lived experience, knowing how to advocate on all levels and accountability.
“If they’re doing it to have someone oversee or to make sure that the organizations that are doing work are going to be held accountable, or they are actually doing their work, I think it’s a great thing,” said Pritchard.
As the search process continues, both women said they look forward to possibly working with the office.
In the meantime, Bell encourages the community to try to wear something orange until the month ends.
