Aiming to be “louder than the gunshots,” the Trenton Anti-Violence Coalition is asking all Black “fathers, uncles, brothers, sons and nephews” to come together strong on Sunday, Oct. 16, as they host a massive “Stop the Killing” rally at the intersection of Stuyvesant and Hoffman avenues in Trenton at 1 p.m.

“It is an ongoing theme in all of our work with the community. We want to occupy the ‘hood and bring our issues front and center,” said rally co-organizer Divine Allah. “We see that the news is being dominated by the Occupy Wall Street goings-on, but the national state of emergency in the inner cities is being ignored. We are focusing on antiviolence initiatives, unemployment, miseducation of our youth and poverty in the ‘hood.”

Allah said that the group is “calling on all of Trenton’s fathers, sons, brothers, pastors, political officials, organizational leaders and more to join us in re-committing to the pledge of the historic Million Man March and working diligently to restore ‘Peace, Pride, Respect, Responsibility and Unity’ in the community.”

Allah, who is also the youth minister of the New Black Panther Party, noted that Oct. 16 marks the 16th anniversary of the Million Man March, which was held in Washington, D.C., in 1995. He told the AmNews, “That monumental and powerful day brought together Black men from all walks of life to ‘atone,’ take responsibility and commit themselves to the true values of manhood, fatherhood, brotherhood and unity in their communities. Among the millions who were in attendance, the city of Trenton was well represented, with fathers, sons, religious leaders, educators, political figures and the average young man looking to be a part of history.

“On that bright Monday morning in October 1995, many of these men loaded up on chartered buses that left for D.C. from nearly every corner and church parking lot in Trenton. Upon returning home, many of them hit the ground running with a renewed sense of responsibility-organizing and hosting forums, hoping to empower the Trenton community and address the many issues that plagued the city.”

Last weekend in Philadelphia, men and their families came from across the country to celebrate the historic march with educational events hosted throughout the city of Brotherly Love. A keynote remembrance speech was delivered by Minister Louis Farrakhan at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Sunday.

“We are asking all Trenton residents-particularly men-who attended to return home and get involved with our efforts to address and confront the scourge of violence going on right here in New Jersey’s capital city.”

Allah said that activists who have committed themselves to working on the ground in Trenton believe there exists a state of emergency in the city, and more people-social services, clergy, business owners, etc.-are needed to deal with the issues at hand.

“Violence and senseless killing, especially among our youth, must be addressed from a public safety perspective,” he said. “However, more importantly, it must be declared an urgent public health issue.”

To that end, as a host of activists such as educators and members of the clergy pledge their support, “someone must demand that all city officials get actively involved and work on establishing a coordinated intervention plan that will help alleviate the condition that the city is in,” said Allah.

He added that every third Sunday of the month, “We strive to bring a message of peace and unity to areas in the city that have been-and still are-affected by violence. We occupy the ‘hood we live in.

“We are a growing collective of individuals and organizations who sincerely care about what is going on in the community,” he continued. “We have stepped up to offer support for families of loved ones who have been killed in the streets, and we stand proud and bold as a ‘louder than the gunshots’ voice against those who continue to be a part of the madness.”

For more information on the rally or the Trention Anti-Violence Coalition, contact antiviolence609@yahoo.com.