Chicagoans march to raise awareness for missing Black and Brown women

CHICAGO - An annual march to raise awareness for Chicago's missing Black and Brown women took place Thursday on the South Side.

The event, led by young women and girls, highlighted cases of missing and murdered women, particularly those from the South and West sides of the city.

Organizers from the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization emphasize that these cases often do not receive the same level of attention as others. Six city council members were expected to attend the march, calling on police to focus more on closing cold cases. They argue that solving these cases will bring much-needed closure to the families of the disappeared and those violently killed, some of whom have been waiting years for resolution.

Tanisha Williams, one of the event's organizers, noted that the mission began in 2018, inspired by a young girl named Aziyah Roberts.

"This march came about because of a young 13-year-old lady at the time, who was almost abducted from this Bronzeville neighborhood just trying to make it to school just a half a block away from her home. Needless to say, people are afraid to leave their homes, and our young people and elders deserve the same investment as others when it comes to this issue," Williams said.

Participants in the march were planning to walk south along King Drive, starting at 35th Street and ending at 51st Street.