'We got to create a better world for them': City groups hold march for peace in the wake of an unprecedented wave of gun violence
La Risa R. Lynch
Sixteen years ago, Muhibb Dyer lost his godson, Preston Blackmer, to gun violence. That same year Dyer devoted his life to violence prevention in the same Milwaukee neighborhood where his godson died.
“That’s what probably more than anything made me passionate about trying to help save others when I couldn’t save him,” Dyer said of Blackmer, who was killed in 2005 on 28th and Burleigh streets.
For Dyer, it’s disheartening to see so many young people — 16 and 17 years old, the same age as Blackmer — die never having a chance to be who they could ultimately be.
“I made a promise to him when he died that since I couldn’t save him, I would try to reach out to as many young people as possible and try to make a difference in their lives in his name so that his death wouldn’t be in vain.”
Dyer helped kicked off a citywide intergenerational peace march and rally Saturday near 24th Street and Burleigh. A coalition of city violence intervention organizations hosted the event to promote peace in the community and honor the countless lives lost to gun violence. As of this month, there have been 146 fatal shootings in the city and 682 nonfatal shootings, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. A record 190 people were killed in homicides in 2020, which also saw 941 nonfatal shooting victims.
About 50 people, a mix of young and old, participated in the march, winding their way down Burleigh Street accompanied by a police escort. Honking car horns signaled support as the marchers chanted “Brown children lives matter, Black children lives matter, all lives matter.” The event ended a mile and a half away with a rally and vendor fair at Sherman Park.
One of those marchers was Sherry Rogers, 56, and her 10-year-old grandson, Justus Johnson. She wanted to come out to let the younger generation know that their elders have their backs. A lot of mistrust among people, society in general and, specifically, the police department, makes it hard for younger people to reach out to adults when they need help, Rogers said.
“I believe that there were times (youth) were in trouble and we didn’t help. I believe that has been the foundation of that distrust,” she said, adding that it was important to let them know “we care and that they can trust us.”
It was a family affair for Dominique Butler, who attended the march with her brother and several nieces and nephews. They all got involved to support their sister, Jessica, who works for 414Life, one of the organizers of Saturday’s march.
Her sister’s work made Butler realize there is more she can do personally to stop the violence. But, she noted, everyone is impacted by violence, whether it’s through public policy, laws or incarceration of a family member. Violence affects people at all stages of life, she said, because babies are losing their parents and now the grandparents are left to care for children.
“We got to create a better world for them," the 34-year-old said. "They deserve better than what we are giving them right now."
Her 10-year-old niece, Kyair Butler, agreed. “We march so we can have peace and the violence can stop so people can come together.”
That’s what this event is about, added Arnitta Holliman, director of the city's Office of Violence Prevention. It aims to counteract the chaos that follows a shooting by being intentional in the community’s response and the message conveyed.
“That force has to be stronger than the hate and violence that we see in our city,” Holliman said. “So we are out today to just spread some of that love and peace. We want to give people something positive to take in.”
414Life’s director, Derrick Rogers, agreed. The city, he said, is in a state of despair relative to unprecedented violence plaguing the city.
“We just want to take some time to get into communities and spread a message of love and hope,” Rogers said. “We have to change the norms around violence and the only way you can do that is go to where the people are and be a model or demonstration of the possibilities.”
Organizations showing unity and collectively working together to reduce violence is one of the best ways to model that, he added.
Moving the needle on gun violence can only happen when society begins to understand and examine violence’s origins among youth and young adults, Rogers said. But most of all, youth need support, he said, echoing comments made by youths attending the rally. They want more mental health support, culturally responsive socialization and more importantly, they don’t want to made to feel like they are invisible, he said.
While incidences of violence among Black and brown youth play out in city’s street almost every other day, young people have a role in stopping it, said Zion Rogers, 17. Her organization, MKE Youth Power Alliance, a coalition of city youth organizations, also co-organized the march.
“We can blame everything that nearly happens to us on white supremacy but ultimately in terms of doing things now to stop (violence), it is really left in our hands,” the Rufus King High School student said. “Just learning how to de-escalate situations that could play out violently in the streets and learning how to do that among our friends and family first is a start.”