Highlands neighborhood spreads word

LYNN – Like much of Lynn, the once close-knit Highlands neighborhood is now plagued by the fear of bullets and blood as the city’s gang and violence problem continues to claim victims from the area’s steep, aging streets.Even conversation at the nearby Ford School has shifted from playful childhood banter to current events, as students tell one another about fights that took place on their street, or the gunshots they heard the night before.While some sit silent and blame the police or city government for the violence problems, others are refusing to remain idle in the face of danger, carrying a message of peace to City Hall Tuesday night.The Highlands Coalition, along with the Ford School and many other community organizations, joined forces yesterday for the Peace in the City March, boisterously trekking from the Ford School on Hollingsworth Street to City Hall where community action organizations handed out information on violence prevention.Holding signs that read “increase the peace,” “stomp out the violence” and “end the anger,” students from Ford joined neighborhood residents, community activists and local politicians on the march.Ford students and children in the neighborhood say they are tired of being afraid to walk outside of their own homes, and want to stop the violence before it claims any of their friends.”I hear about (the violence) a lot, I see it in the paper, some people really don’t feel safe around here,” said Ford Middle School seventh-grader Victoria Adinkia, who lives in the neighborhood. “We want people to feel safe around their own neighborhood.”Ford teachers say hearing students talk about the violence can be disturbing at times, but the kids seem to have a distinct understanding of what is going on.”For the most part, the kids are pretty resilient to what happens,” said fifth-grade special education teacher Adolph Graciale, who attended the march with his colleagues. “Seeing the community come out here is huge for them, the kids themselves were saying that they hoped people from the neighborhood came, not just people from the school. It is important to get everyone we can, because the violence needs to stop.”Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. along with state Sen. Thomas McGee and state Rep. Steven Walsh participated in the walk alongside other community activists and politicians, all with the same goal in mind.”This is one of those things we have to have more of in this city,” said School Committee member John Ford. “Getting the kids here and more importantly getting their parents involved. Plus, this is a neighborhood that is looking for help.”The violence came to a head this summer, when 33-year-old Greenland Etienne was brutally murdered on High Rock Street by Rodlyn Petitbois, allegedly after Etienne intervened during a domestic altercation between her friend Louna Eveillard and Petitbois, the father of her children.Eveillard has four young children, some of whom attended the Ford School.”Lynn is third in the state in domestic homicides,” said Highlands Coalition member David Gass. “With the economic slowdown and people losing there homes, things will only get worse.”The brief walk culminated at City Hall with a violence information session featuring the Boys and Girls Club of Lynn, Lynn Catholic Charities, the College Application Education Program, Family and Children’s Service, Girls Incorporated of Lynn, Community Connections, Essex County Community Organization, the Lynn Department of Child and Family Services, Part of the Solution Youth Council, the Greater Lynn YMCA, Neighbor to Neighbor, Operation Bootstrap and Straight Ahead Ministries.