Group gathers to pray for racial justice

A Rochester gathering reflects on lives lost and the work that still needs to be done in the fight for racial justice.

Isabella?

Here at peace united church of christ... you'll see a candle?

"*lit garden with the names of all the people that have been lost due to police brutality.

They are the names that are the foundation behind black lives matter.... a movement that's not losing momentum any time soon.

<<nat: i want you to go to your timer on your phone."

8 minutes 46 seconds.

That's how long minneapolis police officer derek chauvin pressed his knee onto george floyd's neck.

Vigil goers set their timers to mark how long it takes a man of color to die <nat of phone ringing floyd is just one of many.

<nat of phone ringing > to die because of systemic racism.

"the church will not be silent and stand idly by while our young black and brown women and men are unjustifiably murdered."

Pastor paul bauch of peace united church of christ believes jesus' followers should stand with this movement against racism.

"we pray tonight for unity and peace because black lives matter!"

Pastor lorone shepard with christway full gospel ministry is optimistic about the future ?

"* in her lifetim*- she's already seen progress.

"what is new to me is that people are coming together of all colors, all race, they see the injustice, to see people protesting on the black man's behalf, that has really encouraged me."

Shepard says ?*- we still have a long way to go.

"you would have to be in the position of a black man to understand their lives do matter."

Nat: "black lives matter."

But it's through prayer.

Nat: may we have the faith indeed the certainty that one day we will live together."

According to data from mapping police violence... more than a thousand unarmed people died as a result of police brutality.

About a third of them were black.

Live in rochester ib kimt news 3.

Thanks isabella.

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