WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As part of the national Wear Orange Weekend—a movement honoring survivors of gun violence—local families and community leaders gathered at Gaines Park to promote a safe and peaceful summer. The event, called “The Hope Dealers Rally for Peace,” brought together residents aiming to address the ongoing impact of gun violence in their neighborhoods.
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Organized by Inner City Innovators, the rally featured activities for children, resources for parents and conversations centered on reducing violence through community engagement.
“We can never forget the tragedies that bring us here,” said Ricky Aiken, founder and executive director of Inner City Innovators, who spoke at the event where many attendees wore orange in solidarity.
Among the speakers was Norman Austin, who shared his personal experience with gun violence.
“My brother that I’m wearing today, he lost his life to gun violence,” Austin said. “That really hit home. That was the first time that I had lost someone that close to me.”
The event also featured a moment of silence, a Q&A session for parents, and discussions aimed at teaching young people that guns are not the answer. Aiken highlighted that Saturday's message is especially important this time of year.
“We know that statistically, summer times tend to be some of the most violent times of the year in communities like ours,” Aiken said. “We have to wake up now or risk losing more of our youth.”
For speakers like Norman, Saturday was about setting up youth for success through the lessons of past tragedies.
“If they listen to the stories that we tell them, if they listen to what we want them to do, they’ll be better off on the opposite side and come out of this thing free and alive.”
The rally aimed to equip families with tools to help steer their communities away from violence.
“Real change happens when the people who need it, lead it,” Aiken added. “Superman isn't coming in our community to save us. I believe there's a little bit of Superman in each and every one of us once we know how to orient ourselves to these problems, come together as a community and get back to a village mentality.”
The event wrapped up with a message of unity and empowerment, as the community continues working to prevent further tragedy and support one another through advocacy and outreach.
