At Pittsburgh Juneteenth celebrations, leaders rally community to end violence
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The federal holiday of Juneteenth was Monday. It celebrates the freedom from slavery for people of color in this country. Religious and community leaders took time during the day to celebrate freedom and to say we need to be free of violence.
A world of no more memorials, no more balloon releases or vigils for a life lost to violence -- that's the world Black Political Empowerment Project CEO Tim Stevens wants.
"We need to end the pattern. We need to end the t-shirts that have another child on them, another face on a sweatshirt or t-shirt," he told reporters.
Stevens and other leaders took time at the Juneteenth celebrations to rally the community. He said communities need to be liberated from the violence that can tear them apart.
"We need to be free of violence. We need to be free of a kid being able to pick up a gun and kill someone instead of mediation," Stevens said.
Valerie Dixon lost her only son to gun violence. She wants to see more celebrations of success instead of celebrations of life.
"Everybody doing their piece for peace, we can get this done," Dixon said.
On this day of freedom, fear of violence still terrorizes communities.
"Because in some sense, we are still enslaved. We have to break those chains," Dixon said.
It can be hard for these activists. There are times the uphill climb to tackle the problem feels insurmountable.
"If we stop, the floodgates will open to more bloodshed," Stevens said.
It won't happen overnight but to see the change they want in the world, these leaders are being that change.
"We cannot be bullied by facts. We need to create new facts for the future," Stevens said.
Stevens knows a solution won't come overnight but if everyone does a part, there can come a day when these rallies are no longer needed.
