Older black churches, once been the bedrock of African-American communities, had long been disconnected from a generation that eschewed typical (read: boring) services for new churches with younger pastors, no dress code and less pomp and tradition–if they attend church regularly at all.

So, gathered by Rev. Dr. Gregory L. Clarke of 126-year-old New Hope Baptist Church, other faith leaders, and with the support of beleaguered neighborhood presidents, they decided to do something: walk, knock on doors and listen to–not confront–people in the west end who had been shot and survived, people who had pulled triggers.

They called themselves Peacemakers–one of the newest branches of the national Peacemakers partnership between the Community Justice Reform Coalition and the PICO Live Free Campaign, which was launched to reduce gun violence in communities of color, decrease mass incarceration and “end gun violence in America”.”

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