PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Christopher Leon Johnson, Member of the Public
2:36:17
ยท
130 sec
Christopher Leon Johnson advocates for increased funding and initiatives to engage young African American men (ages 18-34) in the arts as a means to reduce violence and crime in the city. He emphasizes the need for cultural organizations to focus on recruiting from inner-city districts and redirecting youth away from negative influences like drill music.
- Suggests implementing more financial incentives and discretionary funding for art institutions to recruit from inner districts
- Proposes educating young black men through arts programs instead of glorifying "gangsta rappers" and drill music
- Calls for honoring African American men who do positive work in the community to change mindsets and lower crime rates
Christopher Leon Johnson
2:36:17
Hi.
2:36:18
Good afternoon, chair Rivera.
2:36:19
My name is Christopher Leon Johnson, and I totally support all the organizations that were here this morning and this afternoon.
2:36:27
I believe that every organization needs grants, but I'll say this myself, what we need to start doing more for the city council for 2025 and for f y 26 budget.
2:36:36
I know this is not the budget talks, is that we need to start implementing more financial incentives and directing more discretionary funding and start having these art institutions use that money to start, recruiting more people from the inner districts, saying from the ages from 20 18 years old to 34 years old, more this year, mostly African American men.
2:37:04
I believe that, I know this year is a violent weary in January.
2:37:09
It's a violent month.
2:37:10
I hope that there's no more violence this year, but, you know, but I believe that we could lower the violence rate in this city if we start, teaching these young black men, many 18 to 34, different avenues, usually with the arts.
2:37:26
You know, what that we need to start doing more is start educating them with with arts.
2:37:30
More arts instead of pushing, drill music and pushing, giving awards and proclamations to Doug's gangsta rappers, and, drill rappers and start, honoring more people like African young African American men that does great work for really real great work for the community, real positive work for the community because if we change their mindsets, it will lower it will lower the crime rate in the city.
2:37:57
So I say I know that, there's there's a lot of bureaucratic red tape to give organizations that really work with young black men, 21 to 34, discretionary funding.
2:38:07
But I hope that this year that, you as the chair, I know this is your your last term, you work with these nonprofits, especially the museums to start giving more initiatives to black men that are 21 to 34, in the inner districts.
2:38:21
So, I know my time is up.
2:38:24
I gotta go to Libri hearing, and thank you.
2:38:26
Enjoy your day.