Peace march, basketball tournament in Garfield Park aim to mend community divisions

CHICAGO (WGN) – A musical march for peace was held Saturday morning in Garfield Park.

This was the second year the Peace March was held on the West Side, but the first year where a basketball tournament was also featured. Both events were held to mend hearts and heads between communities sometimes at odds.

Talei Thompson grew up on the West Side and was one of the individuals who started the march last year.

“Last summer, we had an actual truce with all the street organizations on the West Side,” Thompson said. “Everybody collectively put us in a place for our five West Side communities to have a 40-plus percent reduction in murders from the beginning of the march for peace all the way until Labor Day of this summer, and we want to do it again this summer.”

The march and basketball tournament were held just hours after two separate shootings just blocks away.

Mario Abney of the Windy City Ramblers believes music is a guide in the search for peace.

“Hopefully the good music and good vibes will bring us to a higher level of love and peace,”” Abney said. “Music brings people together. When you see people come out of their shell and celebrate and play instruments, it lets people know it’s okay to be yourself and to express love and happiness.”

WGN’s Sean Lewis has more from the march. To see the full story, watch the video in the player above.