LOCAL LATINO COMMUNITY TURNS OUT EN MASSE FOR KANSAS CITY'S BIGGEST ANTI-CRIME GATHERING THE YEAR!!!

When TKC first blasted the presser about the prayer service on the Westside for a recent murder I knew it was going to be a nice event, I just didn't think it was going to be a massive gathering.

Credit goes to both the Latino Advocacy Task Force and mostly to the Garcia family for getting the word out regarding this milestone event of more than 400 people on a weekday night.



Still, as I heard quite a few stories from this event along with news reports I couldn't help but think . . .

THIS SAME COMMUNITY THAT HAS RALLIED TO FIGHT AGAINST CRIME MORE THAN ANY OTHER IN KANSAS CITY PROPER HAS ALSO FACED RACIAL PROFILING, NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES AND THE THREAT OF POLITICAL EXCLUSION DURING CITY COUNCIL REDISTRICTING!!!

Like it or not, this kind of gathering demonstrates that Latinos in Kansas City are engaged in the challenges that face this town more so than any other segment of the population.

Unfortunately, outsiders want to assign labels to our community that simply don't exist in these gatherings. Terms like legal, illegal, Democrat, Republican don't matter in a community founded on families and longtime friendships (or rivalries).

Last night's prayer service should serve as a wake up call to all of Kansas City that the local Latino Community won't be saddled with the prejudices mostly broadcast by the mainstream media. Instead, this is a community eager to take more responsibility and representation.

LINKS:

Check out AMAZING PHOTOS of this gathering from Eric Bowers

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