ENGLEWOOD — Stopping the violence will take everyone working together.
That’s what Englewood native Eric Knowles said he believes. He’s been taking action to find real solutions to the problem, which is why his group, Christian Association of Businesses, will host “Stop the Violence ... Solutions” Saturday in Englewood. The discussion will take place at the Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation, 815 W. 63rd St., Fourth Floor, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Some of the speakers include Resident Association of Greater Englewood president Aysha Butler and the Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation's executive director Glen Fulton.
Englewood is the third stop since the group launched its initiative four months ago. They’ve previously been in Chatham and Roseland. Knowles said they are traveling to different communities in Chicago to discuss solutions to create a more peaceful city.
“We’ve been meeting for years now and trying to give something back to the community,” he said.
It’s no secret that more jobs will play a major role in reducing the violence, he said.
As owner of the South Side Market Place, 7149 S. State St., Knowles said he has been working with young men and giving out jobs for years. His business prints T-shirts.
The business, 7149 S. State St., is known for its popular religious T-shirts. [Photo courtesy The South Side Market Place]
“Job development is one of the keys to solving violence,” he said. “I want to train, teach and mentor as many African Americans as I can.
As a group, Christian Association of Businesses would like to hear from residents on the West Side next month, but nothing is set just yet.
“We need two more communities for March and April,” Knowles said. “We’re asking God to lead us to those other two communities so by the time the spring comes around, we’ll have a list of resources that people can contact.
“We want to collaborate with other organizations and businesses to see how we can help reduce the violence because we definitely can’t stop it, but we can reduce it if we combine our forces together,” Knowles said.
