"Tired of the Violence" march asks city to help stop crime - Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee

"Tired of the Violence" march asks city to help stop crime

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MEMPHIS, TN -

By Kontji Anthony - bio | email

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC-TV) - They preached, prayed, donned their Douglass community regalia and hit the pavement in Downtown Memphis Saturday to ask the city to join their plight to take back their neighborhood.

Participants in the "Tired of the Violence" march said it was time to take matters into their own hands.

"We are tired of the crime, drug and gang violence in our city," said George Golden of Christ Golden Outreach.

Golden and Torrie Wilson represent the Douglass Pastors Consortium.  They said they were tired of the violence.

"I went to four funerals within two months in my community," said Golden.

Eight Memphis churches have joined their mission to hire and train unemployed young people.

"Without employment, we cannot stop the crime rate," said Wilson.  "The recidivism rate is going in and out of jail, in and out of prison."

They asked Memphians to join their money pool.  Church members are setting aside one dollar a week to start a bank fund to employ youth to clear unsightly blight.  Douglass community residents, like Dolores Briggs and Asaline Rodgers, said they would help out with the effort.

"We're working with the pastors," said Briggs.  "We're working with the alumni association, the neighborhood association."

"You have to start someplace," said Rodgers.  "Sometimes it's small."

If you would like more information about the "I'm Tired of the Violence" effort, call (901) 415-9194 or (901) 361-7122.