Riverside Hosts Pastor Anthony Williams on Violence as a Public Health Crisis


At a press conference at Riverside on July 15, 2021, Pastor Anthony Williams, leader of Chicago’s Martin Luther King Community Church, calls on President Biden to sign an executive order to declare violence as a public health crisis. His goal is to change how the nation looks at violence – to see it through a public health lens rather than a criminal justice lens – and adjust our response and resource allocations accordingly. Seizing on the momentum of the current climate, Pastor Williams led an eleven day walk from Chicago on June 23, arriving in Washington D.C. on July 4, to raise awareness and take the cause to the people.

Press conference lineup:

Rev. Michael Livingston, The Riverside Church
Mr. John Linzey, Chief Financial & Operations Officer, Pensions Board, United Church of Christ
Rep. LaShawn Ford, representing Illinois 8th District
Ms. Gale Brewer, Manhattan Borough President
Mr. Marlon Watson, Martin Luther King Community Church in Chicago
Mr. Steven Ileka, NY Sen. Charles Schumer’s Office
Pastor Anthony Williams, Martin Luther King Community Church in Chicago