Minister Louis Farrakhan, Leader of the Nation of Islam, has pledged his time and his organization’s assistance to help stop the violence plaguing the South and West sides of Chicago.
The Nation of Islam is a new force in a battalion of other notable community organizations such as Ceasefire and other faith-based partnerships dedicated to ending violence in Chicago’s streets.
For two weeks The Nation of Islam’s well-dressed men, the Fruit of Islam (FOI), have marched in single file throughout the Auburn-Greshman and South Shore neighborhoods. Earlier this week, the FOI members were led by none other than Minister Louis Farrakhan himself. Farrakhan interacted with youth at basketball courts, discussed peaceful conflict resolution, and talked to residents of the community about their situation.
The Nation of Islam joins other faith-based community organizations that are taking back the streets.
St. Sabina Church, located on the city’s South side holds weekly neighborhood marches dedicated to bringing a message of peace to the streets. With such troubling statistics and young people losing their lives daily, faith is what Chicago’s torn streets need now more than ever.
Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, has been under much scrutiny and criticism regarding the increasing violence taking place in Chicago. In early June, Emanuel invited local community organizers to engage with police officials to develop a plan to curb the violence.
Community leaders are key stake holders in the community but are often overlooked and excluded from the discussion. Yet, with the recent 40 percent surge in homicides occurring in Chicago, Emanuel is forced to reevaluate the situation.
A recent report identified Chicago as the deadliest city for youths. NBC Chicago reported that the city has the highest murder rate in the world–“higher even than the Third World metropolises of Mexico City and Sao Paolo.”
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