Askari Imani, right, of EMERGE Community Development gives the peace sign with his fingers as he helps hold a banner that was unfurled and blessed Oct. 22 in front of Sojourner Truth Academy, which is across the street from St. Bridget in north Minneapolis. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

The weather was cold and damp Oct. 22, but that didn’t deter a group of about 30 people who gathered on Emerson Avenue in north Minneapolis to take a stand for peace. 

They endured a constant drizzle of rain and near-freezing temperatures as they unfurled and blessed a banner that reads: “We Choose Peace.” 

Eventually, the banner will be hung across Emerson Avenue, stretching from St. Bridget church on the west side of the street to Sojourner Truth Academy (formerly St. Bridget School) across the street to the east. 

Organized by Joni Sandlin, parish administrator at St. Bridget, the event brought together several nearby churches and organizations that have been building a partnership on the North Side. Among them was New Oil Christian Center, represented by Pastor Bruce Carpenter and his wife, Brenda. He delivered remarks and she led the prayer of blessing over the banner at the end of the brief ceremony. New Oil currently occupies the former St. Austin campus, and plans to purchase the church building. 

With an increase in violence in north Minneapolis during recent weeks, the people gathered for the banner blessing felt it was time to take a stand. They tried to apply the words of Bruce Carpenter, who said during his remarks that he follows a simple philosophy: “Love is what love does.” 

Sandlin, who fought off the temptation to cancel the event because of the weather, said, “We hope today is the first step in a marathon of doing what we can for each other.” 

She noted the violence that has been taking place in the neighborhood, including shootings within a block of St. Bridget. She attended a recent vigil for a 17-year-old who was murdered not far from the church. 

“We hear gunshots every day,” she said. “There’s a constant ring of sirens … and cars racing up and down (the streets).” 

After witnessing this disturbing trend and offering prayers for the area at all St. Bridget Masses, Sandlin decided “we have to do something more, we have to do something of substance.” 

It was time to proclaim a message that faith leaders in Minneapolis already were trying to carry out. Several members of a group called EMERGE Community Development held the banner in front of Sojourner Truth Academy at the start of the ceremony. Among them was Askari Imani, one of the organization’s leaders who works with youth. He found out about the banner blessing just hours beforehand, and felt strongly compelled to attend. 

“I dropped everything I was doing to be here,” he said. “I had other things on my agenda today, but this took precedence because it’s very, very important to me.” 

He works with local youth, especially African American boys, to help them make positive choices in life and steer clear of the crime and violence that is afflicting north Minneapolis. He tasted that lifestyle during his childhood in California, and now, at age 60, he wants to help “these youngsters in this community to make it a better place and make it a safe place.” 

Imani called the level of violence in north Minneapolis “sickening” and said events like the peace banner blessing are a way to move in the opposite direction. 

“I think it’s wonderful, and it’s necessary,” he said. “It’s needed because it takes a village to raise a child — a community. And, this gathering today is conducive to that on a grand scale. … It gets rid of prejudice, racism, discrimination. All that sort of stuff is out the window when we shake hands, when we hug and we smile and we embrace each other.” 

Said Sandlin: “We know that by putting this banner up that things aren’t going to change overnight. But, we’re going to be deliberate in saying we not only want peace, but we’re going to work for peace. … It’s just an important thing to remind us that we can do this, and that north Minneapolis is worth it, the children that live on this block are worth it, the families between St. Bridget’s and New Oil Christian Center, which is a mile and a quarter (away), are worth it. And, we need to gather, all of us, as we did this morning, to stand together and say that we, collectively, will work together for this (peace).”