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PCC continues to play a pronounced role in the Pasadena Youth Development and Violence Prevention Committee given its current uncertain future.Meetings set for March 20 and April 3 were canceled and the location and time have yet to be determined for April 13.

“Currently, the City Council is reassessing the effort and the level of funding support they might offer. We should hear in the next few weeks if this particular committee’s work will continue,” said Trustee Geoffrey Baum, who replaced Trustee Consuelo Rey Castro on the violence prevention panel.

Based on the attendance, the Pasadena community has taken note of the committee’s efforts in spite of the fact that there has been no conclusive action taken. In numerous occasions members in the audience have expressed concern over that fact.

In light of emotional testimonials from members of the Pasadena community – including students from gang-infested high schools, former and current gang members trying to make a living, parents and concerned community members – emphasis has been put on recognizing existing programs targeting at-risk youths.

“Part of our effort [has been] to help the community find out about these programs, which include worker training and career counseling for adults and programs serving foster kids and at-risk youth get on track with their education – like PCC’s Stepping Up,” said Baum.

Judging from numerous testimonials heard by the violence prevention committee meeting, Trustee and member Jeanette Mann found that most at-risk youths “have few marketable skill and few employment opportunities,” adding, “those who have been incarcerated and/or are gang members believe that they are being targeted and harassed by local law enforcement agencies.”

Pasadena police amped-up their patrol last year, an effort that led to thousands of field interviews and traffic stops, along with hundreds of arrests and citations in Northwest Pasadena, where the majority of homicides and acts of violence have occurred.

“If anything, the meetings have provided a forum for local young people and others to offer first-hand testimony about the violence they witness every day and possible measures to be taken,” said Baum, adding, “It was sobering to hear the stories from high school kids whose siblings were gang members and what it took for them to stay out of gangs.”

“Like many, I have been alarmed by an apparent surge in violence [in Pasadena]. The city, school district, PCC and other groups came together to see if there might be some coordinated effort to address these problems,” said Baum.

In the beginning of this year it was decided by the Board of Trustees that PCC would contribute $10,000 in assistance to the violence prevention committee’s efforts – dropped from $15,000 after it was decided by members that the majority of the money should come from the city.

“The overarching outcome [expected] is anything that [PCC] can do which will strengthen the college’s relationship with Pasadena Unified School District and improve the academic preparation of students,” said Mann.

“PCC will have the most impact in reaching the Committee’s goals of ‘ensuring the opportunity for all youth to develop their fullest potential,'” she said, quoting from the committee’s written proposal.

“With our without this committee, PCC will continue to offer effective programs that provide work force training and education that offer hope and opportunity to all students,” said Baum.

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