JCCCvideo's video: Gun Violence

Quinton Lucas, Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas has made curbing gun violence in Kansas City one of the focal points of his administration. In addition to championing a series of ordinances passed by the City Council to keep firearms out of the hands of minors and domestic abusers, Lucas's administration has tried bolder approaches such as suing manufacturers and dealers who have allegedly trafficked handguns into the Kansas City region. He is also promoting creative solutions intended to build up public trust in the community. In this presentation, Mayor Lucas will reflect on his administration's efforts and on how we can together create a community where disagreements don't escalate into shootings. Quinton Lucas, “Mayor Q,” was sworn in as the 55th mayor of Kansas City on Aug. 1, 2019. As mayor, Lucas has prioritized making Kansas City’s neighborhoods safer, creating more accessible and affordable housing and public transportation, fostering a healthier community and improving basic services. He created and chairs the City’s Special Committee on Housing Policy. Born and raised in Kansas City, Lucas has spent most of his life in the city’s urban core. As a child, he moved often and experienced homelessness, sometimes staying with family or friends, or residing in a motel. Despite these challenges, Quinton remained focused on his schoolwork, earning academic scholarships to high school, college and Cornell Law School before returning home to Kansas City. Since 2012, Lucas has been a member of the University of Kansas Law School faculty, where he served as one of the youngest tenure-track law professors in the country. He is active in the Kansas City community and volunteers extensively in area schools and organizations, including providing mentorship in local prisons. He lives in the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, which he previously represented on the City Council. For more information on this series, visit https://www.jccc.edu/conferences/peacebuilding/