{"id":9433,"date":"2023-08-31T14:27:08","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T14:27:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=9433"},"modified":"2023-08-31T14:27:08","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T14:27:08","slug":"sisters-4-unity-host-communities-against-gun-violence-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2023\/08\/31\/sisters-4-unity-host-communities-against-gun-violence-march\/","title":{"rendered":"Sisters 4 Unity Host Communities Against Gun Violence March"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Sisters 4 Unity ready to lead the march<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Fletcher Word<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe Truth Editor<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Sisters 4 Unity \u2013 a group of mothers who have lost their sons to gun violence \u2013 brought together several hundred concerned citizens, elected officials, religious leaders, former mayors and youth participants to hold a march protesting gun violence on Saturday, August26.<\/p>\n

The march started at Smith Park, led by a Toledo Fire and Rescue Department vehicle, and arrived back in the Park in order to present participants the opportunity to hear the mothers, the former mayors (Donna Owens, Carty Finkbeiner, Mike Bell, Paula Hicks-Hudson) and a few others comment on the city\u2019s struggle to bring gun violence under control.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe work these mothers have done to unite us, to support us, to support other mothers who have lost their children to gun violence cannot be overstated,\u201d said Malcolm Cunningham, director of the Mayor\u2019s Office on Neighborhood Safety and Engagement. \u201cThey are working to ensure these sorts of things never happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese mothers are the heartbeat of our community,\u201d said Toledo City Councilman Nick Komives noting that he admires \u201cthe drive they have to make sure nobody else feels the way they do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sister 4 Unity have joined forces over the past seven to eight months with Toledo\u2019s four former mayors in an effort to focus the community\u2019s attention on gun violence and to address ways to bring an end to the violence and homicides that have increased so dramatically since the pandemic stated in 2020 \u2013 much as in the rest of the country.<\/p>\n

The Sisters 4 Unity \u2013 Aviance Hill, Lashawnda Kinnebrew, Abena Rowland \u2013 began working with the Coalition for Peaceful Toledo Neighborhoods (an organization comprised of the four former mayors and various religious leaders) in January of this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow proud I am of each and every one of you here today,\u201d said former mayor Owens. \u201cWe have to use our voice and these ladies have used their voices.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have the power,\u201d Ohio senator Hicks-Hudson told the mothers\u2019 group. \u201cThis journey is just the beginning. Think about what we can do with that power. This is love in action due to these mothers \u2026 do not be weary \u2026 the prize is we are going to have peace. Do not stop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese women are unbelievable,\u201d said former mayor Bell as he spoke of the months he and the other mayors have worked with and connected with the Sisters 4 Unity. He also noted that their sacrifices would be of enormous benefit to the rest of the community. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to have more people joining this sorority.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an impressive display of comity and goodwill, current Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, with whom the former mayors have expressed disagreement on how to best handle the uptick in violence over the past couple of years, was also present for Saturday\u2019s march.<\/p>\n