Rally Against Violence

Written By Dwayne Yates
Photos by Kyle Roerink
UHURU Magazine

Naijee Patterson is a 15-year-old Cleveland native who lost his friend “Big Baby” to gun violence a week before he marched in Basheer Jones’ rally against violence November 21.
“He and his two other friends were walking, and a dude named Marco came behind him and shot him because he didn’t like where he was from,” Patterson said.
This is the first time Patterson has marched in anything except a parade, but this is Jones’ second rally against violence in East Cleveland this year. People lined up at the corner of 79th and St. Clair and marched to 82nd and Hough. Almost 300 people marched and yelled down the grey pavement in unison for less violence and more peace.
Even some spectators were so moved by the what they were seeing, they joined in the march.
“People just need to get the message that violence is nonsense,” Patterson said. “It’s no need for it. It’s bad for the community. I get tired of all these mothers and fathers crying. It’s hurting our neighborhood.”
Stephanie Pope also participated in the march. She is a parole officer, and she has never marched before. She said she was excited to be marching for a good cause.
“Six of my clients have died in the last two years--30 and under--and most of them to gun violence,” Pope said. “It’s important to get as many people as you can out to stand up against violence because our young people are dying everyday.”
She said she feels that the march could be a start to a change in the attitudes of the people of Cleveland.
“People can stand up and march all day, but until people become active it’s not going to change anything,” she said. “Maybe it’ll bring awareness and make people think about it more and then maybe they will want to be a part of the process.”
Pope said she would like to see a mentoring program start in the community to mentor the youth and provide guidance. She said a lot of them are lost and do not have family and parents like others do, which makes them believe that a life of crime is all right to lead.