2025 Empowerment for Peace Walk with NCYEI

It was a beautiful day on Sunday when the North Columbia community came together for the 5th annual Empowerment for Peace Walk. More than 100 volunteers and law enforcement came to Earlewood Park to honor those who were taken by gun violence. Those who attended included organizations like Moms Demand Action, Path 2 Redemption, Prisma and the Columbia Elite Raiders. From Earlewood Park, we walked to Hyatt Park, stopping at historic Lincoln Park. The Peace Walk started in 2020 as a shared response to tragedy in the area. Now, the walk has bloomed into a vision for hope and has grown every year since then. This mission for peace began with the youth in North Columbia leading the way, which continued this year after the unveiling of a banner that was designed with their input. During the opening ceremony, several community members read poetry and gave prayers for peace. Once the program started, our very own Tonya Williams told the history of the walk, dating back to 2020 as a way to bring people together after violence in North Columbia. Both Chief Skip Holbrook of Columbia Police Department and Sheriff Leon Lott of Richland County Sheriff’s Department also joined the push for peace, especially when it comes to gun violence and the younger generations. At a pit stop during the walk, Jessica Myers with Moms Demand Action spoke about her son’s case and the continued search for his killers. Those walking gathered around to hear her story. In addition to hearing Jessica’s story, several children led prayers for peace and Holli McEachern with Path 2 Redemption spoke about their work. Once the group reached Hyatt Park, those on the walk could visit a local resource fair or grab hotdogs and hamburgers to recharge. The rest of the evening saw kids playing games and families reconnecting, a heartwarming way to end this year’s peace walk. Thank you to Prisma Health Mobile Unit, Richland County Democratic Party, Humana, Goodwill and the SC Department of Mental Health for joining as vendors. We are so thankful for the support of the City of Columbia, Columbia Parks and Recreation, Richland County Sheriff’s Department and Columbia Police Department. And, thank you Revolution Red for sponsoring snacks and waters at the pit stop and for Dave and Busters for providing hamburgers.

In addition to local assistance, this project was supported by a grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The BJA is a part of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Program.