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CHICAGO—(ENEWSPF)—July 29, 2015 — On Saturday, August 1st, Russell Simmons, business magnate and co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, will join community organizers FM Supreme of CIYPM and Ameena Matthews of Pause For Peace/The Interrupters to lead the Chicago Youth Peace Walk: “Long Walk to Freedom: Making Peace Starts With Me.” Over 300 young Chicagoans and their supporters will gather for the walk at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 1st at George’s Music Room, 3915 W Roosevelt (full schedule below.)
Organizers say they are walking for peace because too many Chicago youth are dying violently before graduating high school. This gathering is their call for community members, teachers, street leaders, clergy members, cultural influencers, and elected officials to come together in love, peace, solidarity & unity.
“It is a long walk to freedom, as Nelson Mandela once wrote, and without justice, there can never be peace,” says Jessica Disu of CIYPM. “7-year-olds deserve justice. 10-year-olds are worthy of peace. Now is the time to say no more gun violence and to gather and unite as a village to stand and pray with and for our communities.”
“The Chicago International Youth Peace Movement is making a difference every day on the ground in Chicago, a city that has far too much needless violence, death and trauma,” said Russell Simmons, founder of RushCard. “I am so pleased that RushCard’s Keep the Peace initiative is supporting this organization, and encourage the entire community to come out on August 1st and march for peace.”
According to Homicide in Chicago:
Year-to-date estimates of Chicago violence statistics:
Shot & Killed: 222
Shot & Wounded: 1234
Total Shot: 1456
SCHEDULE: Saturday, August 1st
11:00 AM – WALK BEGINS: George’s Music Room, 3915 W Roosevelt
11:30 AM – PRAY-IN: Homan & Roosevelt
12:30 PM – PRESS CONFERENCE & PEACE JAM.
Holy Family Ministries, 3415 W Arthington (Homan & Arthington)
300 Chicago community members and youth marching with parents, faith leaders, and cultural influencers are expected. Holy Family Ministries Peace Jam will feature speeches and performances. Backpacks and school supplies will be given away to youth at Holy Family Ministries.
ORGANIZED BY: CIYPM in community partnership with Ameena Matthews (Pause For Peace/The Interrupters), Earthheart Foundation, Kuumba Lynx, Holy Family Ministries, and N.O.B.L.E. Chicago
Chicago International Youth Peace Movement, a peer to peer mentoring and youth leadership advocacy group, empowers, inspire and activate youth and young adult voices for nonviolence and social change. Our mission is to creatively promote peace and nonviolence through the arts, mentoring, civic engagement, and youth led and young adult facilitated programming.
Source: Chicago International Youth Peace Movement(CIYPM)