Fayetteville church hosts fight for peace event
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- A Fayetteville church brought together nearly 800 people Friday night for a community response to youth violence.
Students from area high schools, parents, and community leaders attended the Fight for Peace Talent Showcase at Manna Church. The anti-youth violence event featured local high school talent in a showcase that sprinkled in addresses from community leaders, including the Fayetteville police chief, mayor, school superintendent and a district court judge.
"I did this to show the community at large that when everyone comes together, we can truly bring change and see it before our very eyes," said organizer, Chris Hale. "Fighting isn't wrong if we fight for the right things."
The show opened with video clips of local and national news reports on recent violent youth deaths, including Danielle Locklear and Joseph Braxton III. Locklear, a 15-year-old Hope Mills girl, was murdered by her 17-year-old boyfriend last spring. Braxton, 16, was gunned down last month. Five teens have been arrested and charged in connection with conspiracy and/or murder of the Seventy-First High School student.
"How many more? How many more?" asked Shawn Withy-Allen, Manna's pastor of student ministries, speaking to the audience. "We know if we're going to build a culture of peace among our youth, we've got to fight for it."
"I'm really, really tired. I'm really, really weary of seeing young people dead in our streets," said Fayetteville Police Chief Harold Medlock.
Medlock, who has been vocal about the importance of parent involvement and supervision with city teens, said community members have to let kids know they're loved and accepted in order to deter them from gangs.
"There's this mentality that you don't want to tattle on your peers," added Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson, talking to the young audience. "We have to break through that."
Cumberland County School Superintendent Dr. Frank Till reiterated the district's effort to provide 1,000 mentors to students through a partnership with the United Way.
"If we're worried about gangs, we have to give them [kids] something different," Till said. "Gang members have told us that they don't approach kids who have adults [who care] in their lives."
April Smith, a newly-elected District Court judge and Douglas Byrd High School alum, encouraged the youth to stand against bullying.
"We've got to dare to be different," Smith said. "There's strength in numbers. That's the history of our country. When we come together in numbers we can change things."
NFL tight end and Fayetteville native Dwayne Allen was among the local celebrities who sent video messages to the event.
"Don't focus on the negative things around you," the Indianapolis Colts player reminded the youth, encouraging them to surround themselves with positive people and remain goal-oriented.
The event, co-hosted by local musical artist Emory Anderson, featured 11 student talent acts from area high schools. Each act had already won their school talent show, sponsored by RUSH campus ministries.
Westover High School's Aquasha Norfus won the first place, $300 cash prize for her spiritual mime performance set to Jessica Reedy's "Better" gospel song.
