Parade seeks to unify community

June 4, 2017 at 12:09a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

With a mighty blast on a horn, Wendy Robinson raised her hand toward heaven, let out a victory shout, took a step forward, and started to pray.

She kept on praying for a mile-and-a-half.

It was part of the 13th annual Unity In the Community Parade and Community Day Celebration, sponsored by Warriors Inc., a Christ-led, community-based organization that seeks to develop youth through a variety of social and economic programs.

The parade started at the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County’s Newport branch on Market Street, and proceeded north about 1.5 miles to the former South High School, where the Community Day activities took place on the football field.

Robinson led the parade, and the horn she blew to kick it off was literally a horn. Known as a shofar, it was a hollowed-out antelope horn, which Robinson said she obtained during a recent trip to Israel. A shofar is usually made from a ram’s horn and is used for Jewish religious purposes.

“It represents the voice of God,” Robinson said of the shofar. “It’s a sound that brings people together, and what better day to sound it than today? It’s a sound of jubilee, and according to the Hebrew calendar, we are in the year of the jubilee.”

As she walked the parade route, Robinson said she continually prayed for peace and prosperity to come to Youngstown, all the while hoisting the shofar above her head.

“The word of God says to pray without ceasing, and that’s exactly what I was doing,” she said. “I proclaimed peace.”

Robinson said the event has grown larger every year, as more and more people find out about it and decide to participate, whether by marching in the parade or simply lining the streets as supportive spectators.

“It’s an event of unity and solidarity, and that’s bringing our community together,” she said. Robinson said she believes God will bless the city, and Youngstown will become a city of hope and prosperity, rather than one of desolation and loss.

Churches, civic groups, youth organizations and local political candidates took part in the parade.

“Sunshine and smiles today,” said Kathie Rothman, who was one of four people from St. Patrick Church on Oak Hill Avenue, who walked in the parade. “We care about Youngstown. We just want people to know that we’re on Oak Hill and we’re very visible. We’re here for the people.”

Rothman and Lali Gonzalez, also from St. Pat’s, said they enjoyed the interaction with the spectators as they walked the parade route.

“We’d yell, ‘God bless,’ and they’d yell it right back to us,” Rothman said. “It’s a wonderful parade.”

Tonya Campbell of Youngstown was one of the spectators who joined in the prayers and requests for God’s blessings on the city.

“We’re praying for peace and mercy in Youngstown, Ohio,” Campbell said as she watched the parade go by. “I want to pray for peace and for an end to the loss of so many of our young lives to violence.”

Campbell said she’s a 1980 graduate of South High School, so the event had special meaning for her.

“I’m a Warrior for life,” she said, referring to the former school’s mascot.

Pastor Jessica Rosario of Generations Church in Liberty also showed up to support the effort as a spectator.

“It’s amazing,” she said of the turnout. “I think it’s wonderful that everybody can come together for something like this.”