Jordan Ashby Photo
Over 100 people gathered at the Lincoln-Bassett School field in Newhallville to bounce on inflatable castles, enjoy free burgers and snow cones — and say no to violence in their community.
The family day event took place from noon to 6 on Saturday and was organized by Alder Devin Avshalom-Smith, the Mount Cavalry Deliverance Temple, and the antiviolence group Ice The Beef.
Event organizers Robb Smith of Mount Cavalry Deliverance Temple, Alder Devin Avshalom-Smith, and Chaz Carmon of Ice the Beef.
The gathering was the third in a series of events responding to the recent increase of shootings in Newhallville, including the killing of Anthony Oden just this past Wednesday. The first event was a panel discussion with the chief of police followed by a community anti-violence summit.
This family-friendly event was different.
“Instead of focusing on the negative, I wanted to bring families together for a positive event where we can increase the peace and share the love in the community,” Alder Avshalom-Smith said. “People who are causing the violence, that’s the 1 percent of the community. I want our neighborhood to know that we can come out and claim our space.”
Despite the gravity of recent events, on Saturday, there was laughter and joy. Kids enjoyed the bouncy house, basketball games, three-legged races, and swing sets while music blasted for all to hear.
The bouncy house was a hit with the kids.
Dozens lined up for free hamburgers and hotdogs, snow cones and popcorn. Clothes were also being given away for any who needed, provided by Moved With Compassion Ministry.
“It’s a real give back,” said Pastor Robb Smith of Mount Calvary. The free food and clothes were in part an extension of a program Smith hosts at his church every third Saturday of the month.
Michelle Groom at Saturday's gathering.
Manual Camacho has been working on youth violence prevention with Ice the Beef since he was 12. Now, at 17, he serves as youth president of Ice the Beef, organizing efforts like a youth-in-government program.
“We’re very desensitized, and it’s seen as being normal, But I constantly reemphasize that it shouldn’t be like that. It shouldn’t be normal for someone to get killed right down the street,” he said of the violence. “These types of event should be normal rather than memorials or homicides on the corners.“
Michelle Groom, a lifelong Newhallville resident, said she was happy to see the event bring the community together in a positive way. Having served jail time herself and lost multiple family members to gun violence, she now works for Connecticut Violence Intervention Program, using her own experience to reach high-risk youth so that they don’t have to go through what she has.
Jordan Ashby Photo
State Sen. Gary Winfield with his kids.
Amid all the activity, Avshalom-Smith spoke of a safer community being formed.
“These events are powerful. This is about relationships and this is about coming together and giving our children a break,” he said. “We’re going to strengthen our relationships so that when the time of need comes, we’ll be able to have the conversations that need to happen.”