Common attends Summer Peace Rally and March at Chicago's St. Sabina Church
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A crowd gathered Friday night to kick off Juneteenth weekend at St. Sabina Church in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood.
Crowds gathered around the church, at 1210 W. 78th Pl., for its annual Summer Peace Rally and March.
The event drew out some big names—including Chicago rapper and activist Common.
Common performed several songs, and speakers spread a message of unity—pushing to stop the violence, with attendees wearing shirts reading, "Thou shalt not kill."
Common talked up Chicago as a place with a special spirit where people have a reputation for being down-to-earth—the home of presidents and first ladies, and some of the world's greatest pastors and civil rights leaders.
"It makes me think about sometimes, when I think about who we are, and do we really look at ourselves with the power, and the love, and the courage, and the joy, and the infinite possibilities that we have," Common told the crowd.
Common issued a call to choose a path of joy, peace, and happiness.
"Today is a day that the Lord has made. We can choose to be glad in it. The operative word is 'choose,'" he said. "What are the choices that we are making?"
Also in attendance at the event was Drew Sidora from "The Real Housewives of Atlanta."
The first 800 attendees received a free T-shirt, and the church also gave away about 400 gun locks.