“We are marching on the shoulders of our elders. We are marching for those who face injustice every single day and we are marching for our brothers and sisters who are dying at the hands of police.”

Members of The Justice League NYC – accompanied by a group of dedicated supporters, which included 1199SEIU Pres. George Gresham and several other Union officers - set off Monday on their March2Juctice, a 250-mile walk to Washington, DC to raise awareness about the plague of police violence in America’s Black communities, the increasing militarization of law enforcement, and the inequity juvenile justice system.

The walk, which is expected to take nine days, began following a press conference and rally at the foot of Staten Island’s Outer Bride Crossing. Several dozen 1199SEIU members were on hand to see the marchers off. “It’s important to support people when they’re involved in activities like this. There are so many things going on the world today that are unjust and lives matter – whether it’s Black lives, young lives, Caucasian lives – all lives matter,” said Keisha Wallace an LPN at Avalon Gardens in Smithtown, NY. “And it’s also important for me to be here because I’ll teach the grandchildren I’ll have one day the importance of being a decent human being and through things like this we can affect change.”

The Justice League NYC -- a task force of activists, artists, and professionals dedicated to reform of the adult and juvenile justice systems -- was created under the umbrella of The Gathering for Justice, which was created by the actor, singer and human rights activist Harry Belafonte and is dedicated to non-violent societal change. Belafonte and Gresham are honorary chairs of the March. “I can only imagine what it’s like for young people to look on television time after time and see young people of color losing their live s and the lack of justice that follows that,” said Gresham, “It’s getting more and more outrageous,” said Gresham in his remarks.

“We’re here not because it’s an easy thing to do, but because dramatic times require dramatic actions,” he continued.

Numerous elected officials were on hand to lend their support to the marchers. They included New York City Council members Deborah Rose and Jumaane Williams, NY State Senator Gustavo Rivera and NYS Assembly member Michael Blake. Each of them called upon law enforcement to enact reforms and establish positive relationships with communities of color. Carmen Perez, co-director of March2Justice, thanked the scores of volunteers who lent their time and energy to the March and reserved especially loving praise for Harry Belafonte the members 1199SEIU.

“We are marching on the shoulders of our elders. We are marching for those who face injustice every single day and we are marching for our brothers and sisters who are dying at the hands of police,” said Perez. At the March’s conclusion in Washington D.C on April 21, participants will deliver to Congress a Justice Package that includes three pieces of legislation critical to the movement to end police violence: the End Racial Profiling Act, the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act and the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.

“This is about the general welfare of our population. What’s going on is wrong; it’s the murder of our sons, daughters, mothers and fathers. If we don’t stand up against it, no one will,” said Anna Perez, an LPN at Carmel Richmond Nursing Home on Staten Island. For more information about the March2Justice or to learn how you can participate in any of the events log on to march2justice.com.