March for Our Youth

As various Gulf Coast families mourn the loss of loved ones to recent shootings, hundreds of people in the community took a stand to put an end to gun violence. News 25’s Kendra Turley gives us a look inside Saturday’s protest to “stop the violence and increase the peace.”
“Thou shall not kill. The sixth commandment. Thou shall not kill.” This chant, along with many others that encouraged the message of peace and unity, echoed through the streets of Gulfport as hundreds prepared to march for a cause. March for our Youth organizer Nikisha White said, “Today we are marching for nonviolence and we’re actually marching for our youth, due to just the extensive way everything is spiraling out of control as far as violence and lashing out and being upset.”
The recent deaths of two men at a Pass Christian Mardi Gras parade inspired the March for our Youth movement. Bishop Billy Jackson said, “I’m a pastor and this is my community. I have a lot of young folks in my church and I’ve done too many funerals over senseless killings.”
Bishop Jackson prayed for the families suffering from recent acts of violence, the community and youth all across the Coast just before the group of peace protesters marched down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and back.
Edith Harrion lost her son to gun violence. She said, “My son was murdered by his so-called friend. We need to stop the violence now. 2012, I know what these parents are going through.”
Organizers hope this march marks the end of senseless killings across the Coast and a new beginning for its youth. March participate Denotra Coleman said, “It’s not gonna stop here. We’re going to keep doing it and keep doing it until we get a hold of our youth. We have to educate them because they are our future.”

[mappress mapid=”2283″]