The City of Roanoke has rolled out The Empathy Project, a collaboration between the Youth and Gang Violence Prevention team, several local artists and the Berglund Center. Stories and art connected to those who have lost loved ones to gun violence will be posted on the Empathy Project Facebook page; in partnership with the Berglund Center photographs of families impacted will also be posted on two billboards in Roanoke. Spoken/written word artist Bryan Brown Hancock penned, performed and recorded the tributes. Jane Gabrielle was the visual artist who did the paintings. The message: behind every gun violence statistic is a person with dreams, goals and families. City manager Bob Cowell:
