When Boston resident Greg Williams was growing up in the North, things were different.
Williams, an African-American man, remembers facing discrimination in everywhere from convenience stores to barbershops. At some stores, employees would even follow him around until he left.
On Wednesday, Williams and others reflected upon their experiences growing up in the North during the pre-Civil Rights movement era to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Peace, held at the Boston Common.
“This is an International Day of Peace,” Williams said. “Yet, it is not about a day, but about the rest of our lives.”
The sponsors of the anniversary, including the independent, international, non-denominational NGO affiliate of the UN the World Peace Prayer Society, joined participants in the goal of universal harmony.
At the vigil, Williams spoke about the impact of street violence on his life — his 16-year-old cousin was murdered when Williams was only 13.
Community activist Ron Owens also spoke about anti-violence and racism during the pre-Civil Rights era.
Owens said that he used to use drugs because he needed “to get a high to get off my personal lows,” but when his brother and cousin were killed in street-related violence, he changed his outlook.
Instead of turning to hatred as a result of such an ordeal, he said he looks back at better times he spent with them.
Song and dance were led by Sufi performers Abraham and Halima Sussman, who directed participants to hold hands in a circle and sing and asked them to “imagine that as we are on the earth, our footprints will spread out across the world.”
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