I wonder why, in this city, we have so much violence.

In my neighborhood the other day three young people were shot and one of them, a young woman, has died.

I have had bullets hit my home once and one came through the wall into my house.

One night while I was riding my bicycle home from Frontier Field. I rode up Campbell Street and I was shot at. Two young men were sitting outside a known drug house one block from my home. I was a half block from my home. The young men took off when they realized they had missed. One week later that same house was set on fire.

When I called the Police they never came out to make a report because the bullet missed me.

What can we do to change things in Rochester?

Are the issues of drug houses, gang activity, lack of a good education, lack of jobs and hopelessness responsible for the violence? Maybe.

I believe that all these issues and many more may be responsible.

Life seems to have been devalued in modern society where violence is seen as a a way to solve problems.

I believe that we need to come up with a radical idea to help change this city.

I know that there are many people in this city who are looking for a way to heal this city and reduce the violence. They say it takes a village to raise a child but I believe it takes a whole city to bring about a major change.

We can work together to make the changes. I believe that the people of this city working with the Green Party are the ones who are going to make the needed changes happen.

Let's help make the changes our city needs.