Peace walk to support children in area of violent shootings
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — As a response to recent violence in Indianapolis, one group organized a peace walk Friday night.
It took place near the area where four people were shot earlier this week at 34th and Keystone.
The walk took place at a school, which is less than a mile from this week’s quadruple shooting.
The violence directly impacted many of the students who go to the school.
Dozens came together Friday to share a message of hope, peace and love.
“We just want to spread peace, love, and hopefully get people to understand that we need to have a very safe summer,” Stop the Violence Indianapolis Director Anthony Beverly said.
Beverly wants people to understand that when adults create violence, like shootings on these same streets Wednesday night, they have children and younger siblings that are affected.
“It impacts kids tremendously, we see it all the time, how the kids bring that stuff to school,” he said.
“We’ve had some students in particular who have been directly impacted by the violence,” KIPP Indy Public Schools Executive Director Emily Pelino said.
That’s why Stop the Violence teamed up with the KIPP school and other groups to hold the rally at the school.
“We’re really proud to be in this neighborhood and committed to support our families and our community members,” Pelino said.
“It’s been very heartbreaking for our students, they’re very distraught,” 8th grade Teacher Keonna Allen said.
Teachers like Allen brought posters of peace, made by the students themselves to share with the neighborhood.
“Our students walk these streets every day, and so we want to walk the streets as well with them to let them know that despite being a KIPP student, you are a part of our family and we want to be there for you,” she said.
While the group retraced steps from past violence, they also gathered to move forward.
The community advocates are encouraged by the upcoming summer jobs initiative.
1,000 summer jobs will be available for teenagers in Indy. They hope it will be a great start in giving kids a chance to have a productive and safe summer.