CHARLOTTE, N.C. — “Just to get the love and hope instilled back in the community.”
From north, south, east and west, neighborhoods all across Charlotte came together Thursday evening advocating for positivity, non-violence, and change.
This comes after days of protests all across the city and nation calling for racial equality and social justice. This crowd felt it was important to not only support that mission but also a cause even closer to home.
“We have to stop black on black crime. We have to stop violence period,” said Will Adams, one of the leaders of the United Neighborhoods of Charlotte.
He along with others set up locations across the city encouraging people to show up in solidarity, wearing all-black, then at the same time all broadcasting live on social media to send their message of peace and love to everybody.
“Let’s bring it back to what it used to be,” said life-long Charlotte resident Bryan Beatty. “We can’t stop, we can’t let up, change is now, just keep doing it.”
Just this week the city saw two homicides even while protests continued. In 2019, an even larger record number of 107 homicides for the year. Adams says by getting out in the community and tackling the violence and the problem together it makes a difference.
“It just goes to show that when you get up out your seat and you get out and get concerned about what’s going on in your community you really start to see the change.”