On August 20, Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC) youth leaders from San Bernardino led a prayer vigil at St. Bernardine where they invited community residents, clergy, and city officials to demand an end to the violence in San Bernardino. ICUC leaders have been researching an anti-violence program called Operation Ceasefire and working with local clergy on how it might be implemented locally.
As part of the vigil, Karla Elizarraraz, student at San Bernardino Valley College, and Rick Cordova, graduate from California State University, San Bernardino, presented a report in which they outlined the high numbers of homicides in San Bernardino throughout the years. Clergy from different congregations throughout San Bernardino also spoke out against the violence and in favor of Operation Ceasefire to be implemented into San Bernardino under the name Common Ground for Peace.
Amongst the speakers were Father Leonard de Pasquale, Administrator of St. Bernardine Parish; Anna Hamilton, Office of Restorative Justice, Diocese of San Bernardino; Jesse Chavez, ICUC Board Member; and Luis Tirado, an ICUC youth leader who is a cousin of Daniel Muñoz.
“I’m just very sick of hearing people talk bad about my city. I’m sick of people calling this a bad place to live because of the actions of so few. I’m sick of hearing my friends wanting to leave right after they graduate and never come back because they just don’t like this place,” Tirado said at the Vigil.
Chavez said the community must continue to pressure local policymakers to take steps to address violent crime in the city.
“It is time that we come together as a community and ask our elected officials who we put in office to end gun violence and bring healing to our own communities,” he said.
At the Vigil, ICUC invited attendees to review and sign a community letter on the anti-violence effort which they then presented to San Bernardino Mayor Carey Davis, who was present.
ICUC leaders said they will continue to work with community members, clergy, city officials, and the San Bernardino police department to implement Operation Ceasefire under the name Common Ground for Peace to reduce violence in the city.