The Brief
- Residents and community organizers are calling for greater investment in St. Petersburg’s youth — especially in neighborhoods plagued by gun violence.
- The Dream Defenders rallied outside City Hall, urging St. Pete’s mayor to include their “Save Our Streets” initiative in the upcoming city budget.
- The campaign focuses on targeted investment in Childs Park, a neighborhood deeply impacted by youth gun violence.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – As city officials begin shaping next year’s budget, residents and community organizers are calling for greater investment in St. Petersburg’s youth — especially in neighborhoods plagued by gun violence.
On Thursday, members of the Dream Defenders rallied outside City Hall, urging St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch to include their “Save Our Streets” initiative in the upcoming city budget. The campaign focuses on targeted investment in Childs Park, a neighborhood deeply impacted by youth gun violence.
“There’s a lack of funding in our communities, and it’s showing up by our children’s lives ending in gun violence,” said Sierra Clark, a lifelong St. Pete resident and member of Dream Defenders.…