Walk held through streets of Rochester to end violence in the city

Posted at: 09/28/2012 10:30 PM | Updated at: 09/28/2012 11:41 PM
By: Amanda Ciavarri | WHEC.com

A call to action was held on Friday for the faith community to talk with people one on one about ending violence.

Organizers say Friday night's walk was not an event... it was a mission to show young men there is another way.

News10NBC was there as the group took to the street.

The walk started small with just a few clergymen, but it did not take long before they were joined by community members who supported their message.

Bishop Tillman says, "They have options, we have options... and if we don't use those options there are going to be two outcomes. One, someone is going to the cemetery, and someone is going to be a living dead person in a prison for the rest of their lives."

On Friday night the group took to the streets with that message.

The group of clergymen are not here to preach, but to listen and meet the young men in Rochester and to show them that violence isn't the way.

Bishop Tillman says, "If I and my brethren can saturate the community and show them, yes we are black men also and some of us have come from the same streets they come from now..." He continues, "Then they see there is an option and somebody cares."

Their message was well received.

Lonnie Youmans Junior says, "More than the preachers need to come out, just some older gentlemen in general. Cause when I was younger (it was) the older gentlemen that taught us."

The group is trying to lead by example and they say they won't stop until things change.

Bishop Tillman says, "I'm trying to save the lives of these young black men, cause they have such greatness in them. And I don't think they know that."

The whole movement started last week when Tillman held a Christian Karate event to help reach youth in Rochester.

He says it's all about making connections with them so they know there is someone to turn to.

Tillman says he will speak to different clergy until they all realize they need to get out into the streets.

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