Crime survivors gather in Kingsessing, call for change [Video]

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Leaders from Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice joined community members at the Salt & Light Church in Kingsessing Saturday for their Right to Heal tour.

The event featured conversations with survivors of violence and their families, including Rev. Leroy West.

“I do all this because of my daughter. She was 19 years old. She was murdered in 2016. And from that, I — I couldn’t just sit around. So I started the organization, Central Philadelphia Parents of Murdered Children,” he said.

West says connecting with other victims is his form of therapy, and Aswad Thomas, the National Director of Crime Survivors, says that’s what the event was all about.

“Like many of our members, I’m also a victim as well. And what really started me on this healing journey was connecting with other survivors,” Thomas said.

The community event also served as a way for crime survivors to gain momentum for their Crime Survivors Speak March …