AKRON, Ohio — Seven Akron area churches are responding to the protests, anger and emotions generated by the April 17 grand jury decision not to indict eight Akron police officers in the June 2022 shooting death of 25-year-old Jayland Walker.
The churches have created a series of listening sessions called "Expression, a Safe Space for Community Discussion" that will be held through Tuesday, April 25.
Pastor Jeffery Dennis and the Mount Calvary Baptist Church hosted the first session on April 18, allowing members of the community to express and vent their feelings about the case and promote a continued peaceful response to the decision to not charge the officers involved.
“We want to create opportunities for people to freely express how they feel in what might be considered a safe place for them," Dennis said. “Being in the presence of people who have a lot of feelings and emotions about this, they might discover there are a lot of people who feel the same way that they do and I think it will be helpful for their own psyche.”
Pastor Dennis explained the church community discussions will also include licensed therapists and counselors who will help to address questions and concerns after autopsy reports confirm Akron police hit Walker with more than 40 shots while he was trying to run from the scene.
“They will address emotions such as trauma and anxiety, having that professional here to address that we feel is important," Dennis said. "It’s hard for people to really accept the fact that a human was shot that many times and no consequences for those who did the shooting.”
Pastor Deante Lavender, from the Remedy Church and the Love and Justice Coalition, also helped to organize the listening sessions. Lavender told News 5 that once the sessions are completed the Pastors will gather to determine if the community discussions should continue for an additional week.
“We are dealing with people who don’t really feel safe and the church is being used as this safe place," Lavender said. “There are a lot of confused people, there are a lot of unheard people, but you can sit and have conversations with people who can help you through this moment, we are all grieving. We have the opportunity to come together and talk through that grief, our prayer is that it leads to a more peaceful situation.”
People who have questions about the program can call 330-253-3711.
The sessions are scheduled at the following locations:
Wednesday, April 19, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
City of Joy Life Enrichment Center
610 W. Exchange St., Akron
Friday, April 21, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
St. Ashworth Temple
1086 Vernon Odom Blvd., Akron
Sunday, April 23, 5 - 6:30 p.m.
Shiloh Baptist Church
1241 Grant Street, Akron
Monday, April 24, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
House of Prayer for All People
69 S. Balch St., Akron
Tuesday, April 25, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Macedonia Baptist Church
940 McKinley Ave., Akron
Wednesday, April 26, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Prevail Church
275 South Firestone Blvd., Akron
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