“Young people are reclaiming their narrative,” he said. “We know the vast majority of children in our city are compassionate, resilient and care deeply about Baltimore. That’s why this march and the youth fund is so important.”

“At minimum, our citizens deserve for their calls to be picked up,” said City Councilman Zeke Cohen, who read aloud complaints from residents during a Public Safety Committee hearing on the city’s 911 operation. “I think we on the council are feeling that there is a systemic problem happening.”

Education is the key for developing functioning societies, and is appropriately, and necessarily, at the center of political discussion and decision-making at all times. Zeke Cohen, former teacher and education activist, now councilman for the first district of the city of Baltimore, United States, believes current education systems have failed underprivileged children across the U.S. Speaking at the fourth Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators, Cohen says, “Education should help youths see themselves in a different light, as leaders, rather than systematically separate them based on their social status. All kids should be taught that by being disciplined, hardworking, and courageous, they can become leaders, thus helping them stay out of trouble.”

 The Project Baltimore Town Hall featured Marietta English, president of the Baltimore Teachers Union; Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen; and Carl Stokes, founder of Benjamin Banneker Eubie Blake Academy for Arts & Sciences.

August Baker was walking to school last month when she spotted an abandoned $10 bill sticking out of the grass. Ordinarily, such a lucky find would warrant a trip to the store for new nail polish or some Tastykakes, she said. But not on that September day.

That got them a visit from their councilman Zeke Cohen.

“I gave even though I’m not in the best predicament myself, it feels good giving and blessings will come. That’s what my mom tell me,” eighth grader Chantelle Thomas said.

The students got a chance to share their story with Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen, who visited the east Baltimore charter school.

"What do you think it says about Baltimore that you guys were willing to step up?" Cohen asked the kids.

"It is from good people in Baltimore, ones that are not all about killings, and not about everything they say it is," another student said.

April 2017, The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) requested school officials perform a safety audit to ensure students are being transported according to state regulations.   But as of this week, the Maryland State Department of Education had not finalized a contract to conduct the investigation.

The criticism comes after six people were killed in a crash involving a school bus last year. Councilman Zeke Cohen led a news conference calling for urgency Monday afternoon.

The bus driver worked for a private company contracted by city schools. Five months ago, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended that the state make safety changes, including an audit of the driver screening process.

"We don't know, and what so damaging is that these young people, when they get up in the morning, they deserve to get safely to and from school. And right now, we don't know because there's no audit," said Councilman Zeke Cohen, Chairman of the Education and Youth Committee.

“This audit should’ve commenced before the last school year finished or at the very latest, over the summer,” City Councilman Zeke Cohen said. “Now we’re back into the school year and they still haven’t selected a firm to complete the audit.”

Councilman Zeke Cohen says its taking too long for the Maryland State Department of Education to implement changes recommended by the NTSB. Chappell was found to have had past crashes on his safety record that City Schools did not know about.

"It makes me wonder, are there other drivers out there who should not be behind the wheel?" he said at the scene of the crash Monday.

Cohen says he inquired about the safety audit in July, and was told that a contract would be finalized with a third party by September 4th.

"It's September 25th," Cohen said. "We're heading into October. It still has not started, and that's what were asking for today."

“The council is standing unanimously behind this resolution calling on Congress to pass the Dream Act,” said City Councilman Zeke Cohen. “This legislation has bipartisan support. Now is the time to act.”

It never hit me until helping to form this organization that no one in my community had bothered to ask me what I thought. No one invested in me until that moment. Later that year, I joined the Baltimore Intersection, a program that taught teenagers civic leadership skills. At the time, the organization was led by Zeke Cohen, whom I am now proud to call my city councilman and mentor.

“This is an example of what can happen when we all work together and when we collaborate on the small problems and the large problems that we, as a city, are facing,” said city councilman Zeke Cohen.

City Councilman Zeke Cohen, who represents the area, posted a video to Facebook opposing the plan. He argues the proposal favors commuters who drive through the Canton area, rather than its residents.