Under the towering concrete pillars of the Claiborne Overpass, a different kind of parade rolled through the city—a protest on two wheels. On Saturday evening, dozens of New Orleans residents came together for the inaugural Ride for Peace, a community-driven bike rally organized by Ubuntu Village and the NOLA Peace Ambassadors Program.

Part protest, part celebration, the ride stopped at City Hall and pedaled through neighborhoods long affected by violence.

Boots on the ground: peace ambassadors lead the way

“This is about stopping violence and building community,” said Rashad Evans, a violence interrupter with the New Orleans Peace Ambassadors who helped organize the event, to build camaraderie in the neighborhoods he works in to stop gun violence “We go into these communities and deal with retaliations, mediations, and hospital responses,” Evans said. ”Our goal is to stop conflict before it starts.”

Danny Allen, program director of the NOLA Peace Ambassadors under Ubuntu Village, oversees the program’s work, responding to murder scenes, identifying what  retaliatory shootings could be next — and then working to mediate and prevent those shootings before they happen. 

Allen and other peace ambassadors are chosen “credible messengers,” who earned credibility on the streets in their younger years, often doing jail or prison time. Allen came up Uptown and is still well-known there. Other messengers come from the 7th Ward, New Orleans East, Algiers, and other parts of town hard hit by gun violence. The idea is that peace ambassadors are able to prevent further bloodshed because they are widely trusted by neighbors, including those who might pull the next trigger. 

The credible-messenger concept was developed first in Chicago and other larger cities. But Allen is seeing it work within tight-knit New Orleans as well.

“I think it’s affecting and offsetting violence in a critical way, just in terms of how we engage in the community,” Allen said. “With boots on the ground, we spread our messages, so when we are out and engaging with certain individuals, we can prevent things before things happen.”

The program began its efforts in 2012 in Central City and the Seventh Ward and has since expanded to New Orleans East, Lower 9th Ward and Algiers, with some downtime a few years ago, as the city program withered and then was restarted under University Medical Center New Orleans, with the direction of Dr. Jennifer Avegno, who heads up the city health department and sees gun violence as a health issue that can be both spread and curtailed through public-health approaches.

Allen credited the city’s recent “massive decrease” in shootings to consistent outreach, hiring returning citizens, and exposing youth to alternatives to street life.

“As a violence interrupter, I come from a place of violence and seeing all kinds of habits, so for us to be combatting that right now… it’s just been amazing,” Allen said. “That’s what Ubuntu stands for—I am because we are.”

The peace ambassadors also partner with the New Orleans Health Department’s Office of Violence Prevention and operate a trauma-recovery center out of UMC hospital that provides counseling to anyone affected by an New Orleans incident of gun violence. 

Reginald Magee: redemption in action  

Reginald Magee, a frontline peace ambassador, brings a deeply personal perspective to the work. After serving 35 years in prison—including two life sentences—Magee is determined to steer youth away from the path he once took.

“I feel like I was a problem for 35 years,” he said. “Now I go into the community on a daily basis. I talk to the youngsters and try to change the narrative of their mindset.”

Magee’s presence in the neighborhood is more than symbolic. He and his team often show up to shootings just moments after they occur.

“We done been walked up trying to mediate and been in the middle of gun battles,” he said. “But because I know a lot of these youngsters, I get a warm welcome. That warm welcome can save lives.”

Recently, Magee helped mediate a dangerous feud between two young men. “I sat them down. They talked. They agreed to squash it,” he said. “That made me feel good because I know now—we’re not gonna lose them. Not to the streets. Not to the penitentiary.”

Rolling celebration with purpose

On Saturday, the ride launched on St. Ann Street, turned onto North Villere Street, and headed toward City Hall. Participants followed on bikes, in cars, and aboard a party bus. Music blasted from speakers. Car horns honked in rhythm. 

As the group passed the historic St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the moment became both reverent and joyful.

Some made the sign of the cross, others bowed their heads or danced a few steps for those lost in the city’s longtime murder spree that has often put New Orleans at the top of national per-capita homicide counts.

“No matter what side of the fence you are on with life, there’s celebration for everyone,” one rider said. ”That’s the uniqueness of living in New Orleans.”

After the stop by City Hall,  ride headed toward Central City, pausing at Glady’s Bar on Saratoga Street before continuing along Oretha Castle-Haley Boulevard, named after the famed civil rights activist. 

A cultural connection to peace

Shawniece McMillan, a familiar face at second lines and community events, sees the Peace Ride and other cultural participation as essential to peacemaking.

“We can’t expect the culture to live without being a part of it,” she said. “We can’t expect peace to happen without protesting peacefully for peace. This bike ride is like a protest for peace.”Hardy and Chantele Els, founders of the Bayou Cruisers and Bayou Queens, arrived with custom bikes and a clear message.

“We’re here supporting mental awareness—domestic violence, suicidal thoughts, ideations, all of that,”  Chantelle Els said. “Riding bicycles, I believe, has a stress relief… it’s like a mental break as well.”

As the bike ride returned to its starting point in the Treme and twilight settled over the Claiborne overpass, Cherylin Green-Francois stood with her bike and her truth.  “It was important for me to participate in this event because – I’m a peace rider,” she said.

To learn more or get involved with the NOLA Peace Ambassadors or Ubuntu Village, visit their website or follow @ubuntuvillagenola on Instagram.