BACK OF THE YARDS — In a push to curb shootings in their neighborhood, youth leaders will camp out overnight on blocks plagued by gun violence beginning this Friday in Back of the Yards.
For 12 hours, starting at 5 p.m., young people will take over the area around Casa Hidalgo, 4600 S. Wood St., calling for peace.
The initiative, dubbed #IncreaseThePeace, is a youth-led peace action on the city’s South and West Sides this summer. Organized by Pilsen-based nonprofit The Resurrection Project, the campouts take over “hot blocks” to unite the neighborhood in a stand against violence.
The event will feature a peace march, free food, music, bonfires, nonviolence training and workshops.
The Back of the Yards campout will be followed by block takeovers in Little Village, Brighton Park, Pilsen, Englewood and Gage Park/Chicago Lawn later this summer.
This marks the second summer of overnight campouts for the peace group. Since October 2016, the youth-led initiative has expanded to seven chapters in Back of the Yards, Brighton Park, Chicago Lawn, Englewood, Gage Park, Little Village, and Pilsen.
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#IncreaseThePeace Campouts:
- Friday July 6, from 5 p.m.-5 a.m., Casa Hidalgo, 4600 S. Wood St. in Back of the Yards
- Friday, July 13, from 5 p.m.-5 a.m., True Value Boys & Girls Club, 2950 W. 25th St. in Little Village
- Friday, July 20, from 5 p.m.-5 a.m., Gunsaulus Scholastic Academy, 4420 S. Sacramento Ave. in Brighton Park
- Friday, Aug. 10, from 5 p.m.-5 a.m., Harrison Park, 1824 S. Wood St. in Pilsen
Peace Action Events:
- Friday, July 27, from 5 p.m.-5 a.m., in Gage Park/Chicago Lawn (location to be determined)
- Friday, Aug. 3, from 5 p.m.-5 a.m., in Englewood (location to be determined
