Community Host Vigils to Silence Violence

I recently attended Silence the Violence Day at Defremery Park in West Oakland. The goal was to address problems of crime by lowering the homicide rate and empowering young people to get involved with social activism.

So far, there have been 66 homicides in Oakland this year. By comparison, there were 49 homicides at this time in 2007. About 150 other community leaders, victims and families gathered in the park to call for peace in the streets and to participate in a candlelight vigil. The event was organized by the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights.

By Kamika Dunlap -- Oakland Tribune

Silence the Violence 2008