Chester gathers for peace in streets and end to gun violence at 2025 Wear Orange Peace Walk
Chester gathers for peace in streets at 2025 Wear Orange Peace Walk
The City of Chester banded together for the 2025 Wear Orange Peace Walk, with a block party after, to show unity and in the hope that gun violence can be put to an end.
CHESTER, Pa. - The City of Chester banded together for the 2025 Wear Orange Peace Walk, with a block party after, to show unity and in the hope that gun violence can be put to an end.
What we know:
It was a loud and clear message through the streets of Chester, a call for peace in the streets and the end to gun violence in the city.
Many of those leading the charge are those hurt by gun violence.
"In 2014, my older brother was murdered to gun violence and he wasn’t even in the streets. It just made me realize someone in my position, with my energy and my voice, it’s time to step up and help the city become a better place," says Cliff Newsome, a lifelong Chester resident.
What they're saying:
That same pain is what influenced Tequiela Rice to join the movement after the love of her life, Willie Hill, was murdered.
Rice displayed a picture of Hill and said, "He was a spectacular guy. Unfortunately things happen. We don’t understand the story yet; we are still waiting for things to come to fruition but as of right now he lost his life to gun violence."
As Rice waits for answers in the death of her partner, she’s doing her part in trying to provide solutions to end the gun violence in the city.
"Love each other, hug on each other, it is very detrimental that these kids know that these guns don’t have a name on it, the bullets don’t have a name, and the bullets can hit anybody," says Rice.
Big picture view:
Which is why it was even important to see the Chester youth present for the walk, like Ja’core Stinney.
"It’s important to come out here to stop the violence and bring peace to the community," says Stinney.
Also showing up for the walk and the block party were political leaders who are standing with the community and trying to provide resources to make change in the community.
"I represent Chester. I try to get every place in the district that I represent. It’s pretty big, all of Delaware County, parts of Philadelphia, parts of Montgomery County, but you can’t represent if you’re not out in the community," says U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon.
With the power of all those voices, they may be able to do just that, one Chester block at a time.