Young South Siders Organize Peace March Friday On 79th Street

The march starts at 10 a.m. at Renaissance Park and ends at Perspectives School.

AUBURN GRESHAM — Leaders of a St. Sabina-based anti-violence initiative will host a youth-led peace rally and march Friday to shine a spotlight on gun violence.

The I Care For Peace rally and march kicks off at 10 a.m. Friday from Renaissance Park, 1300 W. 79th St. It ends at Perspectives School, 8131 S. May St.

Trevon Bosley, 19, an activist with B.R.A.V.E (Bold Resistance Against Violence Everywhere) and a speaker at the national March for Our Lives demonstration, said the march aims to show that Chicagoans do care about the violence that impacts their blocks.

“Knowing that we inspire people by our march is something I want to see,” he said.

Trevon’s mother, Pam Bosley, who serves as the violence prevention manager for B.R.A.V.E., told Block Club Chicago the group has held an annual march for the past seven years. This year organizers decided to add a rally. She projected 1,000 students coming from nearby neighborhood schools will participate in the event.

“With the violence increasing so much in Chicago when the weather is warm they want to let their friends know by hosting this rally to bring attention to what’s taking place and hoping their peers won’t shoot,” she said.

St. Sabina Rev. Michael Pfleger and Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson are among the confirmed guests, Bosley said. Invitations have been extended to Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Chicago first lady Amy Rule, and Ald. David Moore (17th). She said Foxx and Rule attended last year’s march.

“Youth voices, people don’t usually listen to them. But now people are and they have a lot to say. They’re open-minded and they deal with violence every single day,” she said. “For them to get this together has been real good. It’s time for us to pass the torch.”

B.R.A.V.E is a peer-led violence prevention development and social justice program for teens and young adults ages 14–21 operating under the Ark of St. Sabina.

For more information call 773-483–4333 or visit www.thearkofstsabina.org.