Op-Ed: ‘The Significance Of The Newark Anti-Violence Coalition’

NEWARK, NJ — The following op-ed was written by Bashir Muhammad Ptah Akinyele, a community activist and a member of ASCAC (the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations). He is also a history and Africana Studies (Black Studies ) teacher at Weequahic High School in Newark. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

“Stop the Shooting! Stop the Killing! Stop the violence!!! Peace in the Streets!!! Shut it down!!! Black Power!!! All Power to the People!! Hotep (Peace)!!! No Justice, No Peace!!!”

- The weekly Newark Anti-Violence Coalition‘s opening protest chant to begin its rallies when taking an intersection to completely block traffic

The legendary Newark Anti-Violence Coalition (NAVC) celebrated its 15th year founding anniversary at Mayor Ras J. Baraka’s Annual Newark Family Reunion function in Millstone, NJ this past Saturday, July 20th, 2024. It was important to honor the creation of the NAVC, and its significance to Newark, at an event that advocates for unity in the city.

Through the extreme heat, the cold winter, the rain, and the snow, the NAVC led an epic 155-week protest against senseless community violence from 2009 to 2014 (5 years straight). It became the longest running anti-violence demonstration in American history.

The NAVC anti-violence protest began on July 22nd, 2009. Using the strategy of civil disobedience, the members of the NAVC completely shut down traffic at the intersection of Meeker and Elizabeth Avenues without police permits.

We used people's power to create a huge circle to speak to the community and the city about the senseless murder of LaKeisha Allen. The late Lakeisha Allen was caught in between the crossfire of people recklessly shooting at one another in broad daylight on her way to a local corner store. Sister Lakeisha Allen became our inspiration to rally citizens against senseless community violence. But we also spoke to the three other murders that happened on the day of July 20th, 2009.

The NAVC was outraged about the city and the people accepting abnormal levels of senseless community violence as a way of life at that time. Therefore, from the very first NAVC anti-violence protest on that Wednesday of July 22nd, 2009, we crisscrossed the city of Newark shutting down intersections every week in neighborhoods plagued by senseless community violence to organize the people against violence. Sometimes we even shutdown highways, byways, and most importantly, consistently blocked traffic at the city’s famous busy downtown Broad and Market Streets to force elected officials to make senseless community violence a public health emergency policy.

During the NAVC’s historic protests in Newark, we even spoke against police violence, racial violence, domestic violence, violence at spiritual centers and playgrounds and schools, the elimination of the Newark Police Chief, the teaching of white supremacy in the classroom, and the New Jersey state control of the Newark Public Schools.

In between our historic weekly anti-violence demonstrations, we held massive anti-violence town hall meetings and forums in churches and in schools and in community centers to convey to the city and citizens that senseless community violence was not an acceptable norm anywhere in our neighborhoods.

Our efforts are different now. They now reflect the fully emergent community-based ecosystem within Mayor Ras Baraka’s Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery. This department houses a collection of anti-violence activists, anti-violence organizations, conflict and gang specialists, social workers, and therapists working independently and collectively to combat senseless community violence in Newark. And as a result of Mayor Baraka’s office of Violence Prevention and Trauma, senseless community violence has been dramatically reduced in the city. This pronounced drop in the senseless community violence that plagued the city back in 2009 when the NAVC began its historic campaign has improved the quality of life for everyday people, especially in Black and Brown communities.

The original Newark Anti-Violence Coalition (NAVC) of Newark, NJ was established by Ras J Baraka on July 20th, 2009. His experience as a principal of Central High School and a community activist called upon him to reach out to many educators, community activists, community organizers, clergy, and street organizations in the city to build a coalition to create peace and unity in the streets.

In 2014, Baraka became the Mayor of Newark, NJ. Under Mayor Baraka’s leadership, he established the Mayor’s Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery. He appointed certified social worker and community activist Keesha Eure as his director of the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery. A right fit for the job because aside from being a social worker and community activist, sister Keesha Eure was a co-founder of the NAVC. Eure has now moved on from being the Director of Mayor Baraka’s Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery to the Deputy Mayor on Violence Reduction for the city of Newark.

Mayor Baraka’s Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery has become a framework for all cities in America to copy for the reduction of senseless community violence plaguing their cities. But its roots are solidly from the NAVC.

“Stop the Shooting! Stop the Killing! Stop the violence!!! Peace in the Streets!!! Shut it down!!! Black Power!!! All Power to the People!! Hotep (Peace)!!! No Justice, No Peace!!!”

Bashir Muhammad Ptah Akinyele

-A Co-Founder of the Mighty Newark Anti-Violence Coalition

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