Hundreds attend annual Stop the Violence Back to School Rally in Gainesville

Cleveland Tinker, Gainesville Sun
Updated ·3 min read
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Thousands of free backpacks filled with school supplies were given to children and families who attended this year's Stop the Violence Back to School Rally.

Held Saturday morning in the gymnasium at Santa Fe College, 3000 NW 83rd St., those in attendance not only received the backpacks and valuable school and community resource information, but also were encouraged to do their part to curtail the escalating gun violence problem in Gainesville and Alachua County.

The theme of the rally was "#Ceasefire," and the guest speaker was Hollywood actor Harry J. Lennix Jr. III, who is best known for his roles in “The Five Heartbeats,” “The Blacklist,” “Man of Steel,” “Batman vs. Superman” and “Justice League.” The Chicago native encouraged the public to focus more on peace than gun violence.

Students and their families pick out backpacks Saturday during the Stop the Violence Back to School Rally at Santa Fe College in Gainesville.
Students and their families pick out backpacks Saturday during the Stop the Violence Back to School Rally at Santa Fe College in Gainesville.

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Besides the inspirational keynote speech delivered by Lennix, local dignitaries, elected officials and others spoke to the hundreds in attendance about having a safe and academically successful school year. The first day of the public school year in Alachua County is Aug. 10.

"Be prepared to excel," Antwannique Edwards, chief of Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement for the Alachua County School Board, told the students and families at the rally.

She also emphasized the importance of school attendance and addressing bullying and other detrimental behaviors through the proper channels.

Those in attendance were urged to have a safe and successful school year by Alachua County Commissioner Ken Cornell.

"Gun violence is a local and national problem," Cornell said. "We support what is going on in the community to eradicate the rising gun violence problem. If you see something or hear something about guns, say something."

Hollywood actor Harry J. Lennix III, center, helped judge the dance contest and was the guest speaker during Saturday's Stop the Violence Back to School Rally at Santa Fe College in Gainesville.
Hollywood actor Harry J. Lennix III, center, helped judge the dance contest and was the guest speaker during Saturday's Stop the Violence Back to School Rally at Santa Fe College in Gainesville.

The event has grown tremendously since it began in 1999, and continues to be organized by People Against Violence Enterprises Inc., a nonprofit organization founded by the Rev. Karl Anderson of Upper Room Ministries and superintendent of the Greater Gainesville Church of God in Christ. 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.

Anderson again served as the emcee of the rally, and early during the event encouraged those in attendance to repeat after him as he shouted "Cease fire."

Community agencies, organizations and school board resources were on hand to provide information about the services they offer, including the Manhood Youth Development Foundation, a mentoring program sponsored by the Beta Pi chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. that serves boys in grades 1-12.

The program will be enhancing its gun violence prevention program this school year, and plans to educate and inform its students more about nonviolent conflict resolution measures, said Charlie Jackson, the program's president and spokesman.

Gun violence is the No. 1 crisis facing young people today, and if the entire community doesn't get involved to address it, "it will only continue to be more than law enforcement can handle," Jackson said.

Shakeshia Rowe, who has two sons who attend Caring and Sharing Learning School in southeast Gainesville, attended the rally with her boys, Ky'el Rowe, a sixith-grader, and Jayce Neal, a second-grader. She said she enjoyed the rally because of its messages aimed at stopping violence in the community and encouraging students to do well in school and behave themselves.

The 5,000 backpacks filled with school supplies given away at the end of the rally were provided by Meridian Behavioral Healthcare of Alachua County, who was represented by Richard Anderson, Meridian's senior vice president and chief clinical officer.

K.J. Dorsey, 10, gets a free haircut from Devon Slater on Saturday during the Stop the Violence Back to School Rally at Santa Fe College in Gainesville.
K.J. Dorsey, 10, gets a free haircut from Devon Slater on Saturday during the Stop the Violence Back to School Rally at Santa Fe College in Gainesville.

Richard Anderson encouraged students and families to have a safe and successful school year, and to utilize the services provided by Meridian if they are needed.

"Please call 352-374-5600 and press 1 or 2 if you are in a crisis," he said.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Actor Harry J. Lennix III spoke at back-to-school rally in Gainesville