Norfolk Peace Walk aims to unify community on MLK Day

NORFOLK, Va. — Inspired by the events at the Capitol on January 6, organizer Karen Moultrie wanted to show that community unity is all around us.
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“I feel like the narrative is we are divided, and I don’t think that we are. This is about togetherness and oneness,” said Moultrie.

That feeling lead to an idea that became the Peace Walk in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights leader’s fight for racial equality in America.

“I think deep down that we want to stand together, and we want to support each other. It takes events like this and other people coming out to say that we are actually united,” she said.

A group of a couple dozen community members, mostly youth, gathered at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in Downtown Norfolk Monday morning to show unity and celebrate the diversity that lies within the community.

“There’s people coming together today from all different backgrounds, different races, different religions, beliefs, and that was [King’s] vision for us to come together.”

In memory of Dr. King, Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond, founder of the Virginia African American Cultural Center and former councilwoman for the City of Virginia Beach, called on his powerful words.

“The ark of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice. This gives us hope and optimism that there are better days ahead for our community and our nation,” said Ross-Hammond.

The group walked for a mile on E. Brambleton Avenue to Boush Street and back while guided by Norfolk Police.
Some chanted, “Our voice is our crown,” during the Peace Walk.

The same words are emblazoned over Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on a mural created by the youth organization Teens with a Purpose.

Fittingly, Dr. King used the power of words and acts of nonviolent resistance to achieve a more just and equitable country for all.
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As the fight for racial equality in America marches on in every corner of the country, we are reminded that much is still required to fully realize Dr. King’s dream.