By Sarah Jane van Beek – International Director of The PeaceKeepers PR and Marketing
I am Present for Peace.
Summer 2015 began with Captain Dennis traveling to New Orleans, St Roch, to begin a project with our New Orleans PeaceKeepers chapter. The community in recent months had a massive increase of 81% in homicides, so the PeaceKeepers Chapter was most definitely needed to restore peace to the community of St Roch.
On July 25th Captain Dennis launched the ‘PeaceKeepers Ground Zero For Peace Program’ funded by Rushcard’s annual ‘Keep The Peace Initiative’.
With the St. Roch PeaceKeepers Chapter successfully launched with over 60 new PeaceKeepers and the neighborhood being present for peace, Captain Dennis moved onto working with the community and local artist Brandon “B Mike” Odums to begin The Peace Wall mural, starting in the St. Roch Community playground.
The Peace Wall is a visual for all to see, spreading the message of Peace to the St. Roch Community. The huge mural is a 200-foot-wide adaptation of Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” he has used 50 gallons of paint to prime the walls and stockpiled 400 cans of spray paint to complete the design. featuring the faces of New Orleans East residents spray-painted onto the side of the shuttered movie theater.Street photographer Patrick Melon took dozens of portraits of New Orleans East residents to serve as models for the mural, so the mural features local people, so they feel a part of it.
Mike B said He does not expect anyone to lay their guns down just because they have seen his mural, he said. Rather, he hopes the art will encourage activists like the Peacekeepers to keep going.
“I want this to be for them, to feel like their community appreciates them,” he said. “To help give them the stamina to stay out in the streets a little longer.”
The community and world can rest assured that the PeaceKeepers will never stop being present for Peace in all of our Chapters and onward as we continue to grow.
Captain Dennis received thanks from Russell Simmons and Rushcard on social medial for the massive success of the project. Russell Simmons wrote ‘So proud of the PeaceKeeper Program and Captain Dennis for his work around the Country.’ We thank Russell and Rushcard for their continued support of The PeaceKeepers Global Initiative.
We are proud and thankful to all of you out there patrolling your communities day after day, night after night. You are an example to the world of True Community Spirit, Bravery and Love.
I am Present for Peace