Night Walk to Address Youth Violence to be Held Thursday

Community and faith leaders are once again coming together to plea for an end to youth violence. 

The Youth Violence Prevention Coalition will hold a night walk Thursday, Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. Community members, faith leaders and local youth will lead the walk, which will begin at Our Lady of the Rosary Church and end at Kennedy Park.

The event is being held in response to the senseless slayings of Daniel Garcia-Sanchez, 21, and Carlos Estrada-Partida, 18, who were shot and killed 33400 block of 11th Street.  

Thursday’s night walk is the latest effort put forth by the Youth Violence Coalition — a consortium of local parents, students and community organizations such as Congregations Organizing for Renewal, Filipino Advocates for Justice and the Union City Pastor’s Alliance. The coalition was formed in 2007 in response to a rash of youth-related violence, including the death of 17-year-old Biniam Yifru, who was gunned down at a house party on June 23, 2007.

According to the coalition, it has engaged more than 700 individuals in anti-violence efforts and was critical in passing Measure UU, a parcel tax that funds Union City’s Youth and Family Services to provide youth violence prevention and intervention services.