Men and women of all races marched through five northeast Denver neighborhoods this summer as they prayed for an end to ongoing gang violence in the city.
The idea to plant wooden “peace” crosses in yards came from a Crips gang member, who had heard about a similar project in the Compton neighborhood in Los Angeles, said Jason Janz of Providence Bible Church.
Organizers hoped the marches would bring the community together and heal the grief and anger left in the wake of the killings. The weekly marches started in a neighborhood least affected by the violence and ended in the Cole neighborhood, which experienced the most deaths.
About 450 people participated during the summer, and 400 crosses were handed out, Janz said.
“This gives the average person a chance to walk the neighborhood fear-free and do something positive,” he said. But, he added, “if we’re going to see individuals stop gang violence, it’s going to take a lot more than a prayer walk.”
