Newark City officials reported a call to action of Newark business owners to close on Saturday, August 20, at 2 p.m. and join in a “Citywide Peace Walk” set for that date and time.
The march will support collective efforts to create a safer city and end gun violence in Newark and other municipalities across the country.
The walk, themed “Newark Forward Minus Violence Equals Our Future,” will commence at Chancellor Avenue and Aldine Street in the South Ward and wind its way over a 13-mile course through all five of the city’s wards finishing up at West Side High School in the West Ward.
Participants can walk, run, jog, ride bicycles, roller-skate, or use scooters to complete the march.
“Acts of gun violence are the biggest threats to our collective future and are an unrelenting public health crisis in our country,” Mayor Baraka said.
“What we have seen in Newark and cities across the country is tragic, horrifying, and intolerable. We need business owners, families, and community organizations to join us on this walk as part of our comprehensive strategy to end violence in our neighborhoods.
This is a call to action to bring peace to our city and move Newark forward into our promised future.”
Residents can join the walk at the following locations:
· South Ward: Chancellor Avenue and Aldine Street
· East Ward: Pennington Court
· Central Ward: New Community (14th Avenue and Bruce Street)
· North Ward: Waterfront Recreation Center on Grafton Avenue
· West Ward: Ivy Hill Park
· Special Event: West Side High School (Ending Location)
Additionally, during the march, the city will provide information and critical resources around housing, education, employment and mental health.
The City of Newark’s Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery and Brick City Peace Collective have collaborated in weekly walks with community partners, including the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, Newark Community Street Team (NCST), Newark Street Academy, Help Us Become Better (HUBB), and New Direction, leading up to the city-wide march scheduled for Saturday, August 20.