March to end the violence

By Ira Kantor

Raising awareness about a spike in violence plaguing their neighborhoods, nearly 250 concerned locals trekked a mile-and-a-half from Roxbury into Jamaica Plain yesterday for the first “It’s OK” Walk for Peace.

Coordinators Adrian Rivera of Spontaneous Celebrations in Jamaica Plain and Jamaica Plain resident Rip Hernandez said the walk was meant to address a number of summer shootings in local neighborhoods.

Those shootings culminated with last month’s Mattapan massacre that left three people and a toddler dead.

“We want our neighborhoods back,” said Hernandez, 41.

“We know it’s not going to stop anything but it’s a start.”
Walkers of all ages and ethnic backgrounds departed from St. Mary of the Angels in Roxbury and finished on Atherton Street in Jamaica Plain.

“Everybody’s talking about the next one already,” Hernandez said.

“We’re not going to turn our backs anymore.”

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1289593