Free outdoor festival to be held in Nicetown with hopes of stemming gun violence
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Elected officials and anti-violence activists joined forces Thursday to announce the 20th Anniversary of the Give Back Festival in Nicetown. The goal of the festival is to stem the tide of gun violence.
Thursday's press conference is symbolic as it honors the fifth anniversary of the murder of the son of Zakariyya A. Rahman, the executive director of the Give Back Festival.
"20 years ago, we started this festival, which is at a historic landmark park, because this park was uninhabitable. We had to galvanize resources in order to get this park habitable," Rahman said.
The free outdoor festival will take place from Aug. 12 to 13 in Nicetown Park.
Gun violence victims have joined local artists to host an art exhibit in City Hall.
The exhibit aims to showcase the silent trauma that survivors and co-victims endure from the city's gun violence.
The Apologues Exhibit is a collaboration between Philadelphia violence prevention organizations and community activists.
The multimedia art gallery is now open to the public.
For a list of gun violence resources in Philadelphia, click here.