"#Ceasefire" will be the theme of this year's Stop the Violence Back to School Rally

Renowned Hollywood actor Henry J. Lennix III will be the guest speaker at this year’s Stop the Violence Back to School Rally.

The message to be delivered by Lennix will focus on the theme of this year’s rally: “#Ceasefire.”

“We are trying to reduce gun violence in our city and our county,” said the Rev. Karl Anderson, founder and president of People Against Violence Enterprises and senior pastor of Upper Room Ministries of Greater Gainesville. “We want to pave the way for a more peaceful community.”

Hosted by PAVE and Alachua County Public Schools, the rally will be held 10 a.m.-noon July 29, with doors opening at 9 a.m., in the Santa Fe College Gymnasium, 3000 NW 83^rd St.

Lennix, a native of Chicago, will encourage the entire community to focus more on peace than gun violence, Anderson said.

Lennix is best known for his roles in “The Five Heartbeats,” “The Blacklist,”“DC’s Man of Steel,” “Batman vs. Superman,” “Justice League” and many other big screen and television productions and series.

“He understands the perils of gun violence and how it affects our youth,” Anderson said. “He’s coming to give back and share his message with adults and our youth.”

Local hip hop artists will compete for a chance to win $500 and must do so by submitting a song or MP3 to revk00@gmail.com by noon July 26. The top three will perform at the rally, and their songs must promote peace, be on point with the #Ceasefire theme, include no profanity, and be otherwise clean, Anderson said.

The first 5,000 in attendance will receive a free backpack filled with school supplies, Anderson said.

Transportation for those who need it will be provided by five school buses. Those who need a ride to the rally should call 352-505-6839.

The rally is organized with the help of sponsors like Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, which has partnered with the rally since it started. It has grown from giving away just 100 backpacks in 2000 to giving away 5,000 this year, Anderson said.

“Getting up to 5,000 was my ultimate goal,” Anderson said. “We want to continue helping kids and families.”

Anderson says he began organizing the rally 24 years ago in response to a wave of school shootings across the nation, notably the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado.

Alachua County Public Schools will again be at the rally with important back to school information about everything from enrolling in school to the Family Access portal to buying school supplies, Jackie Johnson, spokeswoman for the school district, wrote in an email.

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“Our Food and Nutrition Services staff will also be there to talk to parents about how their child can get free meals at school,” she wrote.

Besides Meridian and ACPS, Anderson said he is thankful for the sponsorship and support provided by the Alachua County Christian Pastors Association, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, local State Attorney’s Office, Gainesville Regional Utilities, city of Gainesville and others.

The rally has grown throughout the years by reaching a more diverse group of people from all segments of the community, Anderson said, adding that the entire community is affected by violence, especially gun violence.

“Violence doesn’t discriminate, and it is an issue that needs to be tackled by everybody,” Anderson said. “There is peace in unity.”

Organizers hope that people attending the rally leave with a sense of hope and understanding that gun violence in not the answer, Anderson said. He also said gun owners need to lock up their guns, and practice gun safety.

“The rally this year will be the culmination, celebration and continuation of what we’ve been doing the past year and beyond to eradicate violence, especially gun violence, from our community,” Anderson said. “Next year will be our 25^th year and we’re getting a head start on that right now.”

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Back to School rally to be held July 29 in gym at Santa Fe College