Community Organizations Rally Together After The Death of Lancaster Youth Football Coach

Outside Dallas City Hall Thursday, a call to action rally started with prayer followed by strong words from the podium.

"How do we make good on such a horrible situation?” asked Dr. Keisha Lankford with Lankford Avenue Services. “We all need to look in the mirror and ask, 'what do we need to do? What can I do?' We cannot pass blame. We cannot look to people outside our community. We have to look within."

Members of Urban Specialists, several other community organizations and coaches all came together to show solidarity against violence.

"I'm here just to show unity,” said Terry "Coach X" Mayo, founder of The Action Network. “That's what it is. Everyone has on different logos. It doesn't matter what's on your jersey. We're all the same team."

Urban Specialists brought together the group as a call to action. They want to provide answers to senseless violence like the death of Michael Hickmon.

Hickmon was shot during an altercation after a youth football league game in Lancaster Saturday.

"We need you because it's time to change,” said Varonika Wilson with Urban Specialists. “It's time to control the narrative and it's time for us to shift the energy towards positivity, love and oneness."

Urban Specialists’ action plan for change includes hiring police officers instead of just security guards at games. They want a new search policy for guests including only clear bags allowed in games. There will be zero tolerance for weapons on the field, conflict resolution training, and more.

"If you don't know how to resolve a conflict then conflicts are going to continue to arise,” Real Youth Mentoring founder Tim Jackson said. “So, we have to teach our boys, specifically because they are the ones who tend to fight more, how to walk away. How to deescalate."

Hopefully, by finding answers they can end the senseless violence.

"The answer is love,” Mayo said. “The answer is unity."

To learn more about Urban Specialists click here.