March for Peace builds community, continues conversation about discrimination
For the third year in a row, the Montbello neighborhood will come together for the March of Peace on Saturday, May 20,2023. Ray Ray West and Nashara Ellerbee are the driving force behind the March.
"Make it more accessible for youth in our community to talk about their problems," Ellerbee explained the motivation behind the March.
It was born in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. Ellerbee and West felt strongly that young people in their community needed a safe space to talk about the bias and discrimination they face every day.
"We want a moment where everyone can have their voice heard. Everyone can talk," West added.
The first March for Peace was in 2021at the Broncos Boys & Girls Club. They gave away some 300 pairs of shoes, and garnered the support of Broncos Safety Justin Simmons.
"Since the first March, we would do community things here at our club. We would have those conversations. We would have people come in and talk about certain things that you don't get to talk about at school," West explained.
Last year's March was even bigger, with more people in attendance and activities for the community. Ellerbee and West's leadership on this event has had a definite impact at the club. They report that other kids are inspired to start internal clubs around their own interests.
"Not only is it changing," Ellerbee started to say. "But it's inspiring our youth at the Boys and Girls Club to know that you may be going through things at home, but…"
"Your club family cares," West finished.
"Exactly so," Ellerbee responded.
When these teens see violence playing out among their peers at schools like East High School, and Hinckley High in Aurora, they know the conversation needs to get bigger.
"To see things like that, we know the job's not down. We have to keep working and it's not going to be done until we see this go down," West explained.
"With us starting the spark in the Boys & Girls Club, maybe the person we talk to goes sparks with someone else, so it's going to continue," Ellerbee added.
At this year's March for Peace, there will be pop-up shops comprised of neighborhood businesses, a fitness carnival, brunch, and mental health workshops put on by WhiteFlag Inc., so the conversation can continue.
"We're just two little girls in a Montbello Community, we need the rest of the world to get on board with us," West said.
West and Ellerbee have been invited to Washington D.C. this summer to talk to legislators about their March for Peace event.
The March for Peace runs from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2023. Registration opens at 9 a.m. The March winds through the Montbello neighborhood and ends at the Broncos Boys & Girls Club where there will be a wide range of community activities.
