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Rainbow
PUSH
Michigan
Crusades
for
America
DETROIT
–
Rainbow
PUSH
Michigan
held its
national
Crusade
for
America
Parent
and
Youth
March on
Saturday,
August
25, 2012
starting
at
Highland
Park’s
McGregor
Library
located
at 12244
Woodward
Ave.,
Highland
Park,
MI.
After
their
first
rally of
the day,
the
march
headed
north to
end at
Oppenheimer
Memorial
Park in
Ferndale,
MI. The
march
kicked
off the
beginning
of an
urban
peace
movement
that
Rainbow
PUSH
Michigan
is
creating
in
communities
across
America.
Small
actions
will be
held in
cities
across
the
country.
“On
August
25th we
remember
the
powerful
vision
of Dr.
King's I
Have A
Dream
speech.
It is a
vision
of
freedom,
full
employment
and
nonviolence.
His
dream
compels
us to
start a
nationwide
crusade
for
America.
A
crusade
to
protect
our
freedoms,
end
poverty,
fight
racial
injustice,
curb
violence,
demand
urban
divestment,
and
defeat
voter
suppression.
This
Crusade
for
America
will
connect
people
from
across
the
country
who face
the same
issues,
but
desire a
true
change
from
policymakers,”
said D.
Alexander
Bullock.
Rainbow
PUSH
Michigan
held
several
mobilization
efforts
centered
around
August
25th to
get the
word
out.
Events
included
a
funeral
for
democracy
last
Memorial
Day, a
father’s
day
weekend
initiative
which
included
calling
on
Detroit
Mayor
Dave
Bing to
increase
public
safety
funding,
a prayer
vigil at
a local
gun shop
and
organized
affiliates
around
the
country
to hold
prayer
vigils
in the
wake of
the
Aurora,
Colo.
shooting.
The next
phase of
the
Crusade
for
America
will
focus
heavy on
Congress
and
reviving
the ban
on
assault
weapons
after
they
return
from
their
August
recess
for the
lame
duck
session.
This
national
march
will
focus on
emergency
reinvestment,
economic
recovery
in urban
America,
the
expansion
of
employment,
educational
opportunities
for
youth
and
returning
citizens,
the
protection
of our
voting
rights,
reviving
the ban
on
assault
weapons,
zero
tolerance
school
expulsion
and
truancy
policies,
and the
racial
divide
in
America.
Speakers
and
performers
at the
Crusade
for
America
Parent
and
Youth
March
include
Cindy
Estrada
(Vice
President,
UAW),
Christos
Michalakis
(President,
Metro
Detroit
AFL-CIO),
Donnell
White
(Executive
Director,
Detroit
Branch
NAACP)
Yo-Yo
(Hip Hop
Artist),
French
Dukettes
Step
Team and
the
Honorable
DeAndre
Windom
(Mayor,
City of
Highland
Park).
The
march
will
feature
peace
and
justice
workshops,
music,
art,
direct
action
trainings
and a
job
fair.
Much
more
than a
march,
Crusade
for
America
is a
movement!
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