RICHMOND, Va. -- Community members from around Central Virginia came together in unity at the Robert E. Lee Monument Friday night, as they celebrated Juneteenth with Petersburg native and singer Trey Songz.
The singer is taking part in a 'Feed Your City' challenge in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. On Friday night, a candlelight vigil was held as the first of three Black Lives Matter events that will take place in Richmond and Petersburg.
Some of Richmond city leaders took part Friday's celebration and march against police brutality. Richmond City Councilman Mike Jones prayed before a short presentation and march. from the Lee Monument to the Jefferson Davis Monument and back.
Trey Songz spoke about what he hopes his events bring to the community.
“They're taking our lives as if they can and keep walking. They keep living their life, go home to their families after they take one of ours. I ain’t going," Songz said. "We not going for that. I’m a black man. I’m going to be that. I’m going to be that to the best of my ability. I’m going to the be that in my everyday walk of life. I’m going to be that because I was born that.”
On Saturday, Songz will return to Petersburg and work alongside Mayor Samuel Parham and Deputy Chief of Police Travis Christian during a “Feed Your City event.”
The event, June 20 at noon, will be held at Petersburg Public Library at 201 W Washington Street. (This is a change.)
The event will provide fresh groceries and essential PPE supplies for thousands of community members via non-contact drive-thru lanes. The supplies can be used to keep the members of the community safe during the ongoing protest.
Songz will end the weekend with the Black Lives Matter Father’s Day Bike Ride on Sunday, June 21. The bike ride will be held at Bryan Park at 9 a.m.
