By Nick Diamantides
Staff Writer
About 200 people holding candles walked through a section of Central Long Beach last Saturday night to honor the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. and to make a stand against all forms of violence in the city. The one-mile march began at Martin Luther King Jr. Park and proceeded along adjacent streets as well as a portion of Pacific Coast Highway.
“We are here to revive the spirit and teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. who taught us that all people are equal and we can live together in peace, love and brotherhood regardless of our color or ethnicity,” said 6th-District City Councilman Dee Andrews. “We have people all over the city who are shooting each other or being violent in other ways, and by participating in this candlelight procession, we are telling them, ‘you don’t have to live that way. There is a better way to live.'”
The candlelight march was part of Long Beach’s first-ever Peace Week–a series of events leading to the MLK Jr. Peace and Unity Parade. That parade has taken place in Long Beach for 20 years and is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 19.
The Peace Week Committee, a group created by the Long Beach City Council, organized the various events, including the candlelight vigil. Committee co-chairs P.G. Herman and Alice Pitts coordinated the efforts of various city departments, private groups and individuals.
“We had tremendous support from the mayor, city council, parks, recreation and marine, special events and filming and the Long Beach Police Department,” Herman said. She added that when Andrews’s office, the Long Beach Human Dignity Program and the Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Task Force threw their support behind Peace Week, the event’s success was ensured.
“We knew our dream had come to fruition as we circled MLK Park and looked back to see the string of sparkling candles,” Herman said. “It was an overwhelming, emotional moment to see families with children in strollers, all ethnicities and ages, some in wheelchairs, neighborhood associations and churches from other parts of Long Beach–all coming together in unity and peace.”
Several elected officials, including Mayor Bob Foster, participated in the vigil.
“We’re trying to honor Dr. King’s memory and his teachings,” Foster said. “Everybody getting out here and making a little demonstration for peace is consistent with what he taught.” The mayor added that the city government and residents are working together to show everyone that people of different ancestries, diverse philosophies and religions can work together and prosper.
Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal agreed. “This vigil is renewing the commitment of our city to work for peace,” she said, pointing out that residents of every color were holding candles and walking together. “We do care about each other and we’re demonstrating that by our march today,” she added.
Ninth District Councilman Val Lerch was there too. “By marching together, we are saying that we are a community that is sticking together and we believe in peace,” he said. “We want to send out a message of hope for the entire city.”
Dr. Lydia Hollie, chair of the Long Beach Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Task Force said she didn’t know if the candlelight procession would directly influence gang members and other violent individuals to adopt peaceful lifestyles, but the march would inspire people all over the city to work together to end violence.
“The dream of Martin Luther King Jr. is very much in alignment with the goal of the Task Force, which is to reduce violence and save lives,” she said. “This march shows that there is a concerted effort to bring about a paradigm shift in Long Beach as to how we identify and address the risk factors the lead to violence, so we can truly reduce violence in our city.”
Ahmed Saafir, who is running against Andrews in the April 2008 election agreed with Hollie. “It’s important for people to work together in a concerted effort for peace in our community, the nation and the world,” he said. “Community life requires people working together and this march encourages that.”
Joan Greenwood, a community activist from the Wrigley area, said the candlelight march was a good sign. “It shows the diversity and unity that we do have in Central Long Beach,” she said. “It shows the willingness of neighbors to work together.”
Herman said 200 people was a good turnout for a first-ever event and she expected it to grow with each succeeding year. “The Peace March and Peace Week will definitely become an annual event that leads to the Dr. King Peace and Unity Parade and Celebration in the park,” she added.
