Interfaith group hosts annual Unity Walk
TRENTON >> If Trenton was a safe haven with no annual murders, then inner-city peace rallies and marches would be unnecessary in this 7.5-square-mile capital city.
But Trenton has its fair share of slayings, the latest being 16-yearold city girl Ciony Kirkman, so community activists like the Rev. Lukata Mjumbe have their work cut out as they continually strive to find answers and get to the root of the problem.
“Far too many people have writtenoffTrenton,”saidMjumbe co-chair of the United Mercer Interfaith Organization, also known as UMIO. He said he sees “potential” path that you commit yourself to in Trenton’s youth but recognizes follow after.” the community’s most traumatizedfamiliesneedavarietyof The other co-chair of UMIO, Imam Qareeb Bashir of the Islamic resourcesandservicesthatgobeyond Center of Ewing, said UMIO’s community basic grief counseling. outreach helps reduce the
As such, the United Mercer Interfaith bloodshed in Trenton while also Organization is hosting helping to uplift the family members its third annual Unity Walk on of homicide victims. Sunday, May 1, where UMIO and “This is something we are passionate a coalition of families and community about,” said Bashir, who activists will walk, pray, also serves as president of the Islamic listen and unify in the name of Council of Greater Trenton peaceandhealingattheplacesin and Trenton’s fire director. “We Trenton where homicide victims believe it makes a difference.” have been slain in the past year. UMIO’s third annual Unity
“We seek to get folks throughout Walk begins 3 p.m. Sunday at the county to look at themselves two locations: The Westminster as one community,” Presbyterian Church at 1140 Mjumbe said, adding, “Your walk Greenwood Ave. in Trenton and is how you live. Your walk is the the Islamic Center of Ewing at 685 Parkway Ave. in Ewing. The two starting points take different routes but will both end at Gandhi Peace Garden at 223 E. Hanover St. in Trenton.
“This is just a small way of bringing attention to the issue of violence and giving comfort to the innocent family members,” Bashir said.