Black pastors join forces to aid community
Saying they are burying too many young African Americans struck down by violence, some area pastors have launched a campaign to address that and other community problems.
About two dozen pastors have formed the United Black Clergy Association of Seattle to look for solutions to some of the most daunting problems in the black community in areas of employment, economic development and crime.
"Historically, black pastors have been able to give leadership in these areas of our community," Kenneth J. Ransfer Sr., pastor of Greater Mt. Baker Baptist Church and president of the group, said Wednesday.
"We plan to go out into the community, go to the hot spots, and talk to these men and women and love these guns out of their hands."
At a news conference Wednesday, the organization said it is trying to bring to Seattle a national program called Amer-I-Can, a life-management effort founded 20 years ago by NFL Hall-of-Famer Jim Brown to address gang-related violence in inner cities.