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It was a Friday afternoon.

I had taken the red eye from Los Angeles to New York for my Living Rooms Across America Tour.

After touring for over three months, my life has become like clockwork.

Flight, hotel, sound check, interview, rest, perform, start all over again.

But this Friday afternoon was different.

I had walked directly into the Jamaica, Queens’s office of Life Camp, a non-profit violence intervention and prevention program, and immediately knew that something special was about to happen.

I had walked right into an intervention where Erica Ford, Life Camp’s Executive Director, and her team were talking a young man out of killing another young man who had recently shot his best friend in the face.

It was pure magic.

For over three hours, I literally witnessed Erica and her team diffuse the situation and prevent another homicide.

That evening I was reminded yet again that creating a safe neighborhood does not consist of simply hiring more police officers or building more prisons.

That evening I was reminded of how Erica Ford, and other intervention workers across the country, are central to our public safety.

Creating safer neighborhoods consists of supporting organizations like Life Camp that are literally saving lives day in and day out.

For over thirty years, Erica Ford has prevented countless murders and redirected the lives of thousands of youth and adults.

Proof in case.

This past year, because of Life Camp’s efforts, there wasn’t a single murder or shot fired in Jamaica, Queens.

To be exact, Life Camp was responsible for 340 consecutive days without a single homicide.

That is truly remarkable and an effort that should be fully funded and replicated nationwide.

That’s why a group of us who attended the New York living room performance are working to raise $100,000 in the next five days to keep the program going.

That’s why I’m committed to doing everything that I can to raise awareness of organizations like Life Camp that are redefining public safety and contributing to historic reductions in crime nationwide.

And that’s why I’m asking you to join me in making a contribution to Life Camp today.

Let’s collectively say no more bullets and help make a concrete difference in the lives of countless youth.

To learn more about Life Camp and to make a contribution CLICK HERE. 

Mike de la Rocha is an LA-based musician, writer and entrepreneur. To find out more about Mike visit mikedelarocha.com and follow him on Twitter at @mrmikedelarocha