By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

The city of Selma and a local civic organization are coming together in an effort to “stomp out the violence.”

The Children & Families Committee of the Selma City Council and the Elks Lodge No. 1170 will host a “Stomp Out the Violence Community Cookout” on Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Selma High School softball field.

The cookout aims to bring people together in order to have an open conversation on crime and violence in the community and is open to everyone for free.

“Our goal is to make people aware of what’s going on in their neighborhood,” city council member Samuel Randolph said. “We want to just invite the law enforcement out as well to meet the citizens of the community and just want the community to feel safe in their own home.”

Randolph credits the Lodge for wanting to raise awareness about violence and for the part they played in organizing the event.

Angela Benjamin, chairperson of the City Council’s Children & Families Committee and representative of Ward 4, said the event is the brainchild of the Elks Lodge No. 1170.

Benjamin said the city council and mayor would likely be present and there will be a forum during the cookout where community members can ask questions regarding crime, violence and safety in the community.

“There’s an organized forum during the cookout where we come together to have a forum concerning the issue of violence,” Benjamin said. “All the elected officials in Selma are invited and the community gets to ask questions and voice their concerns.”

Benjamin said the community will get to make suggestions as well and she hopes to bring together other groups who are also trying to raise awareness.

“We have a lot of organizations and groups that are splintered and scattered,” Benjamin said. “We welcome anyone who’s already targeting this issue to come. It’s a glorious day when we can all get together in one place with the same focus and collaborate and move forward.”