The 14th Annual Summer of Peace Youth Rally took place on
Friday, July 29, 2016 at Martin Luther King Peace Place, located at
N. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive and W. Ring St. The event
theme was “Promote the Positive” and despite the rain, kicked
off with community parades gathering at N. 5th and W. Locust
(Peace Park & Garden) and at N. 9th and W. Ring (We Got This
Garden). Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs (center) who was one of the
sponsors of the rally, lead the parade participants through the city.
Alderwoman Coggs praised the rally’s organizers and encouraged
public support and participation in Friday’s event. “I commend
our young people for their efforts toward peace, and the rally is a
positive outlet for them and for the community,” she said.
For the past fourteen years, the Summer of Peace Initiative has
provided a platform for young people to explore and express
solutions to quality of life issues, especially the levels of violence
in their communities. Alderwoman Coggs is pictured with Andre
Ellis (right) and some of the youth participants.