By Marie McCain
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Community activists Monday introduced the second phase of their Peace Down the Way Project, a campaign to stop the bloodshed on Cincinnati's streets. Beginning Sunday, billboards will be posted in Cincinnati neighborhoods calling for a moratorium on violence. They will read:

"... too many tears. Promote Peace. Moratorium on Violence. Peace Down the Way. 751-2332."

Mark Gable, assistant marketing director for the Peace Down the Way campaign, said the quote was inspired by "So Many Tears," a song by slain rap artist Tupac Shakur about the people he had known who had been killed.

On Jan. 1, on the heels of 2002's near record-setting 65 Cincinnati homicides, the campaign was introduced by a collaboration of about 60 community-based organizations, including social service, religious and civil rights groups.

At that initial news conference at New Prospect Baptist Church in Over-the-Rhine, mothers of homicide victims made impassioned pleas to parents to protect their children and begged them to work with authorities to stop the killings.

But since then, 30 people have died on Cincinnati's streets, equaling the number of those killed by this time last year.

In addition to the billboards, similar public service announcements will be played on area radio stations, while campaigns to increase self-esteem among school-age children will begin.

Activists also announced a jobs program with funds for about 381 summer jobs for young people. The Urban League of Greater Cincinnati is also looking for employers who wish to offer jobs for young adults this summer.

Campaign leaders said Monday that besides the billboards, the coalition hopes to send "response teams" to the scenes of homicides to help residents and survivors cope. The groups are working with religious leaders and psychologists to staff these teams, which will be dispatched by someone monitoring police scanners.

After Monday morning's announcement inside New Prospect Baptist Church, about 40 people participated in a symbolic procession - offering a different kind of Memorial Day parade - down Elm Street in memory of those who have died violently.

"Too many children have seen puddles of blood and bodies in the streets," Gable said. "Some might say this is too little too late, but it's never too late to help someone deal with trauma and let them know they aren't alone."

E-mail mmccain@enquirer.com