One of Mayor Ken Featherstone’s first initiatives when he returned to his hometown over three years ago was creating an event that addressed the rise in violent crime in the city.
For the past two years, Featherstone has led an organized effort to bring attention to violence and murder within the city by holding a march on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
The 2022 event will be the first held in the city since Featherstone was sworn in as mayor, and it will kick off a 100 Days of Non-Violence pledge.
“Violence in our community not only hurts the image of our great city, it also causes negative economic development occurrences leading to industry seeking to leave our community,” Featherstone said in a press release this week. “As we begin 2022, I would like to personally ask each citizen of Indianola to take the 100 Days of Non-Violence pledge with me that will begin on Jan. 17, 2022.”
To kick off that pledge, Featherstone is inviting the public to the parking lot of Mt. Beulah MB Church on Jan. 17 at 5 p.m. for the annual MLK Day rally.
Exposure to violent events can be traumatic and can negatively impact multiple factors such as economic development, academically-sound schools, coping skills and relationship building,” Featherstone said. “The roots of violence reach deep into society, tapping into such complex conditions as poverty, racism, joblessness and hopelessness. Indianola, we can do better together. Please join me and take the 100 Days of Non-Violence pledge.”
