Peace Walk Marchers in Northwest Pasadena Call for Unity in the Community

My Tribe Rise Co-Founders Heavenly Hughes and Victor Hodgson (center) lead a community march for unity from the Pasadena headquarters of the National Center for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on October 10, 2020. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

My Tribe Rise Co-Founder Heavenly Hughes, Member Kevin Martin, and Co-Founder Victor Hodgeson lead a community march for unity from the Pasadena headquarters of the National Center for the Advancement of Colored People on October 10, 2020. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

Mark Sutton of Children Working to Save the Planet (center) shouts into a microphone during an October 10, 2020 Pasadena march after calling for participants to "come together" and "show a united front." (Photo by Shirley Huang)

Craig Paul of Children Working to Save the Planet, volunteers Josh and Meg Penney, and others participate in a community march in Pasadena on October 10, 2020. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

The Garrison family and others hold balloons and signs during a march that started outside the NAACP's Pasadena headquarters on October 10, 2020. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

My Tribe Rise Co-Founder Heavenly Hughes speaks about the importance of voting as My Tribe Rise member Kevin Martin listens. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

My Tribe Rise Co-Founder Heavenly Hughes addresses participants shortly before the Pasadena unity march on October 10, 2020. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

Craig Paul of Children Working to Save the Planet calls for participants to observe a moment of silence for lost lives while standing outside the NAACP's Pasadena headquarters on October 10, 2020. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

Allen Edson and others including Bloods, Cripps, Muslims, and Christians observe a moment of silence for lost lives shortly before participating in a unity march on October 10, 2020 in Pasadena. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

Members of The Way to Happiness, My Tribe Rise member Kevin Martin, and My Tribe Rise Co-Founder Heavenly Hughes gather for a socially distant group photo. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

My Tribe Rise Co-Founder Victor Hodgson talks with volunteers Stephanie and Tess as they set up refreshments for participants. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

Mark Sutton of Children Working to Save the Planet addresses participants as My Tribe Rise member Kevin Martin listens. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

The Way to Happiness Member Kathleen holds up a booklet published by The Way to Happiness and My Tribe Rise. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

My Tribe Rise volunteer Meg Penney helps the Garrison family sign up to volunteer for future events. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

My Tribe Rise volunteer Meg Penney holds a volunteer sign up sheet and promises that she is smiling behind her mask. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

Children from the Garrison family gather with other community members to march for unity n October 10, 2020 in Pasadena. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

The Way to Happiness Member Tess holds up booklets published by The Way to Happiness and My Tribe Rise (A Commmon Sense Guide to Better Living), and the Church of Scientology International (How to Keep Yourself & Others Well). (Photo by Shirley Huang)

Signs for the unity march that started outside the NAACP's Pasadena headquarters on October 10, 2020. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

A truck carrying food for event participants arrives at the NAACP's Pasadena headquarters on October 10, 2020. (Photo by Shirley Huang)

More than two dozen enthusiastic demonstrators, chanting and carrying balloons, marched through Northwest Pasadena in a “Walk for Peace” Saturday afternoon.

The event was sponsored by My Tribe Rise and The Way to Happiness Foundation and hosted by the Pasadena branch of the NAACP. According to organizers, their use of the word “PEACE” stood for “Positive Energy Activates Constant Elevation.”

“PEACE is the common theme today,” said organizer Heavenly Hughes. “We are trying to create a mindset for peace, because too often what we’re seeing is a lot of negative, a lot of chaos, and a lot of violence,” added. “We have to do our part to put positive energy into this community, in the midst of all that’s going on.”

NAACP Pasadena Branch President Allen Edson addressed the group on the importance of voting and community involvement.

“Last week the City Council approved a police oversight committee and an independent auditor,” said Edson. “That would have been unthinkable a year ago, but that’s what a community can do.”

As Victor Hodgson, founder of My Tribe Rise, stressed before the event, “It’s not a protest by far. It is just people coming together that are like-minded that want peace in the community. It’s just walking for peace.”

My Tribe Rise in Altadena was founded earlier this year to connect people “who want to help and provide services” with the people who need them, according to the group’s website, www.mytriberise.com.

“I’m here to support them,” said Edson. “Walking for Peace is reinvigorating the civil rights movement.”

Walking for Peace is also part of Walktober 2020, where the NAACP Pasadena Branch will also lead a self-guided “Walking Tour of the African American History of Pasadena,” covering 14 locations primarily in Northwest Pasadena.

The Walking Tour centers on individuals and events of historical significance to the Pasadena African American community.