Hundreds of boys, young men of color walk against violence in Chicago's Bronzeville

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Young men marched toward a better future in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side.

Hundreds of people showing up today to the Brilliance and Excellence March in Bronzeville.

"It occupies their time and opens up their mind to something that can actually take them somewhere else besides the negative," said Pierre Dean who grew up on the West Side.

"This really helped me a lot," said Amr Elbey. "See all these Black people out here? That's how it should be. We don't need to be killing each other. We all got families we need to talk to everyday."

The hope is to bring young people together, connect them to resources and help prevent crime in the community.

More than 500 people marched one mile together from 39th and King Drive to 39th and Cottage Grove where the young men ranging from their early teens to recent high school graduates got to learn about scholarship and mentorship opportunities.

Jermar Johnson is 2023 graduate of Rowe Clark Math & Science Academy.

"It means a lot because we don't get a lot of opportunities to actually do something good out here," said Johnson. "It's hard to find positive outlets to put your energy into so I'm really grateful for this."

The march kicks off the summer with some hope for the city's youth and it means a little more this time around after the group lost one of their own to gun violence last year.

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Jermaine Anderson is the executive director of "I Am a Gentleman."

"One of our very own from the Champs Male Mentoring program was killed last year around this time at the Bean, Seandell Holliday," said Anderson. "And we're doing this in solidarity for Seandell but also for the many young men and women who have lost their lives to senseless gun violence here in the city of Chicago.

Parents are happy to see something like this happening on the South Side as they say these are the events that make a difference in their children's future.

"It takes a village," said mother Chamille Doss. "We have to come together to support these young men."