MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Community members in a North Memphis community gathered Tuesday for a rally to express their concerns about crime in the area, and they say they are committed to doing more than just talking.

Residents living in the Klondike neighborhood gathered outside Friendship Baptist Church to let it be known that they are tired of being afraid to live in their community.

Nancy Taylor said she’s lived in the area for more than 30 years, and she says over time crime has taken over.

“I want to say maybe a year and a half ago, just in my backyard, a young man was gunned down,” she said.

Reverand Quinten Smith with Greater Payne Chapel said he and other pastors in the area want to provide a solution. He said that the solution starts with the church.

“You can’t blame people for things that we need to do ourselves. So we want people to take ownership of this community,” he said.

Reverand Smith said this rally is only the start and their first plan of action is to provide counseling and mental health services for those in the community. 

“Between churches, between the schools. We have enough resources to make this community whole again. And that’s our goal, is to make this community whole again. We need something to celebrate,” he said.

Reverand Smith said they plan on having several other rallies like this in the months to follow. He encourages anyone who has any ideas or needs any resources to contact him.