“Saving Our Streets” will take place at Italian Lake Park on Saturday.
A Harrisburg mother plans to host an event to honor families affected by gun violence—a topic that hits close to home for her.
On July 10, local fashion brands, dancers and speakers will gather at Italian Lake Park for “Saving Our Streets,” in an attempt to bring awareness to the issue of gun violence.
“My plan is to get a message out there to our youth and men about the effect that gun violence has on our community,” said Mercides Roland, organizer of the event and owner of fashion brand AZ.UR.
From 5 to 8 p.m., speakers like Kevin Dolphin, founder of Breaking the Chainz, and James Lyles, president of Youth 10x Better, will talk on the importance of getting guns off the streets.
There will also be performances by Legacy Dance Co., Yazmine Dance Studio and Cheer Revolution, among others. Designers from Fashion Empire, a Harrisburg boutique, will also hold a fashion show.
Rep. Patty Kim (D-103) is sponsoring a gun buyback at the event, which will pay $100 for every firearm turned in.
“Even if we can get one gun off the streets—that’s progress,” Roland said.
Roland also plans to honor seven local mothers who lost children to gun violence, a subject that she is passionate about because her own daughter was a victim.
At only 12 years old, Roland’s daughter was shot. She was severely injured and had to learn how to walk again, but she survived.
“It’s important to me because a lot of parents weren’t as fortunate as me,” Roland said.
Several of the mothers that Roland will honor at the event are featured in an upcoming documentary entitled “Our Boys,” by local filmmaker Lawrence Greene.
In the documentary, they tell their son’s stories and, for many of them, it was a time of vulnerability and healing, Greene told TheBurg in an interview.
Roland hopes her event will have the same effect.
“I want them to know that they are not alone,” she said. “I have to do this because it means so much to me.”
“Saving our Streets” will be held on July 10, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Italian Lake Park in Harrisburg. For more information, visit Mercides Roland’s Facebook page.
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