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Hundreds of black men are organizing a march and rally on May 18th as part of THE LAQUARRIE JEFFERSON MAN-UP MARCH for ACCOUNTABILITY and GANG TRUCE RALLY, in response to the violence and handgun fatalities that has plagued the black community over the years and claimed the lives of many young men, including the accidental death of 8-year-old Laquarrie Jefferson.

The march is a five mile trek beginning in Grove Hall and ending in City Hall Plaza.

“Be it directly or indirectly, all black men are responsible for the conditions of the ‘hood,” says MC Spice, rally organizer and Grove Hall’s resident-elected Minister of Information who called for the march after reporting the death of Laquarrie Jefferson via the broadcast airwaves on low-power radio station, TOUCH 106.1FM. A supporter of the SAFE HOMES INITIATIVE project, Spice began organizing the event in December. “We have to hold ourselves accountable for the death of Laquarrie Jefferson,” Spice says. “When a child’s father isn’t present, we have to MAN-UP and step our game up as men in our community. We should have been there to talk to Laquarrie’s older brother about why he feared for his life. We could have intervened and took our rightful place as positive role models to the youth in our neighborhood.”

“We know there are gang bangers all over the city. But we need to embrace these youths and show them how to resolve conflict peacefully…like men,” Spice says. “But we also need to foster, develop and maintain a working relationship with law enforcement, civic and clergy leaders, to save our youth.” The Laquarrie Jefferson Man-Up March will call on the city’s black men to pledge to take responsibility for their community and asks gang members to adhere to the truce for the rest of the summer.

Many Grove Hall residents, organizations and business owners are helping organize the rally, including the Nation Of Islam, NDC of Grove Hall, TOUCH-FM Radio, and Global Voice Media. Calloway’s Nex Graphix printing company donated thousands of flyers to the cause and women have vowed to support the men at both ends of the march from Grove Hall to City Hall, offering free rides back to the starting point of the march/rally. Businesses along the five-mile path are asked to provide drinking water and restrooms for the marchers, and Kueen of Kings and Kueens Hair Salon on Warren Street, was one of the first to offer bottled water for the passing marchers. “Anything I can do to help with this cause,” said Kueen.

Organizers have invited City Councilmen Chuck Turner, Charles Yancey, Representatives Linda Dorcena Forry, Gloria Fox and State Senator Dianne Wilkerson to speak. Scheduled speakers include Minister Don Muhammad of the Nation Of Islam, NOI’s True-See Allah, Jamal Crawford of the New Black Panther Party, and MC Spice and Jonathon Gates of The Big Morning Thing radio show. The event will also include Accountability Petitions for participants to sign as a pact to maintain peace and show accountability.

The event will be held from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. At 11 a.m. participants will gather for a rally, prayer and words of insipration in the Grove Hall Shopping Center area. The march begins at 12 noon, with 15-minute breaks each mile, from Warren Street to Washington Street, ending at City Hall at 3 p.m. A post rally wil be held at City Hall Plaza, ending at 4 p.m.

For more information about The Laquarrie Jefferson Man-Up March for Accountability and Gang Truce, see www.touchfm.org or email  mcspice777@yahoo.com

For more event details: http://www.touchfm.org/manupmarch.htm