By Mary Knapke

DAYTON DEANERY - Several hundred people who gathered at the Third Street Bridge recently prayed together, heard the lessons of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi and listened to excerpts of a speech by Nelson Mandela.

They also sang "Let There be Peace on Earth" and cheered as 15 white doves were released over the city.

CT/BRIAN KNAPKE

A group of young people marches to Dayton's "Peace Bridge" in an effort to promote better race relations.

Participants walked from Oak & Ivy Park in Dayton's Wright-Dunbar neighborhood to the Third Street Bridge, or "Peace Bridge," which serves as the traditional dividing line between the east side of the city, where most residents are white, and the west side, where most residents are African-American.

This year's march came at a crucial time for the city of Dayton, according to event organizer Rev. Darryl Fairchild.

Rev. Fairchild, a United Methodist pastor and executive director of Greater Dayton Christian Connections, cited the May 8 Dayton school levy defeat as one indication of persistent racial division in the city.

While many factors contributed to the levy's failure, maps published in the Dayton Daily News illustrated the split in votes between the east side, which voted against the levy, and the west, which voted for it.

The vote breakdown "could have to do with home ownership and property values, but it's clear that race plays a factor," Rev. Fairchild said. "Whatever the reason, it's clear that homeowners on the west side are ready to make an investment in our children, and homeowners on the east side aren't."

As a result of the levy vote, Rev. Fairchild said he was in the process of encouraging other clergy in Dayton to commit to the Peace Bridge event.

"Work in race relations started in the faith community. It's only going to be the faith community that can lead the community as a whole," he said.

The Rev. Dr. Robert Jones, pastor of College Hill Community Church in Dayton, said the Peace Bridge event grew out of a dialogue between black and white clergy in the area.

The goal at that time was "to motivate more intentional activities about racism," he said. The clergy determined that a fight against racism should take root in the faith community and agreed to add action to their dialogue. Over the years, the event grew to include the community as a whole.

Rev. Jones said he also was "saddened" to hear the school levy did not pass. "These are our children, and we have to make sacrifices. This would've been a significant sacrifice, but we needed to make it. . . . We want to take care of our children," he said.

Gloria Leigh, a parishioner at Corpus Christi and retired director of religious education at Mary Help of Christians in Fairborn, also said the school levy's failure is "indicative of separation that exists between the black and white communities."

"We keep struggling to bring people together to celebrate unity and humanity," she said, adding that she has seen vast improvement in Dayton's race relations since the inception of the Peace Bridge event in 1989. "We hope to get people out and experience conversion. We have to keep trying to set that example."

Marianist Sister Leanne Jablonski, director of the Marianist Environmental Education Center, saw the significance of the event happening "around the spirit of Pentecost."

"I have to personally challenge myself not to hold on to past grievances and stereotypes, but to be transformed," she said. "I'm transformed when I hear somebody's story and it moves my heart."

Originally from a Polish parish in north Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sister Leanne said she has fond memories of events that celebrated the richness of various cultures in that city.

"My life is always richer when I experience the song, music, food and perspective of other people. Otherwise, life is pretty bland," she said. "Our faith calls us to be one community."

Rev. Jones said that ultimately, the Peace Bridge, in conjunction with other events and organizations, has the potential to change the long divisions between black and white communities in Dayton.

"Racism in this community is not over and resolved, and we have to continue to make an effort to remove it," Rev. Jones said. "Whatever we need to do to make that happen, we need to do it, because it is possible. . . . but we have to continue to try to live in harmony and in peace."