Coalition Pozé looks to end gun violence in northeastern Montreal
Group wants community organizations to have a role in local politics
Coalition Pozé. That's the name of a new group against gun violence which brings together community organizations from Montréal-Nord, Rivière-des-Prairies and nearby neighbourhoods.
Pozé is a Creole word meaning "take it easy" or "calm down" — and that's the message the coalition is sending to young people in the wake of an increase in shootings in Montreal.
But the coalition also has a message for the people in power — the politicians who run the boroughs: give community organizations a seat at the table.
"The funding that comes along with what's going on with the problems — the drama and the trauma — needed to be handled by people who understand the field, people who understand the community," said Rito Joseph, member of Coalition Pozé, from Saint-Michel.
"I'm terribly scared of the triggers that actually push these little boys — that I grew up with in class, we went to kindergarten together — becoming an actual gunman," said Shana Riboul, a 17-year-old from Rivière-des-Prairies.
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
