Caldwell Foundation Marches Through Chicago Demanding Action on Violence as Political Leaders Absent

Gianno Caldwell organized a march through Chicago streets this weekend near the location where his teenage brother Christian was killed four years ago, an event that drew community members and generated calls for action on public safety. The march, which began at Morgan Park High School where Christian attended, highlighted the toll of violence in the city and the work of the Caldwell Foundation for Public Safety, which Caldwell founded following his brother’s death.

Caldwell extended invitations to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson through multiple channels, including direct calls to their offices, emails, public statements on Fox News, and announcements on national and local television. Neither official responded or acknowledged the invitation, according to Caldwell, who characterized their silence as a failure to serve families affected by homicide.

The march drew speeches from several political candidates and community leaders, including Darren Bailey, the Republican nominee challenging Governor Pritzker, and Christian Maxwell, who is running for Congress in Illinois’s 1st Congressional District. Both emphasized the urgency of addressing violence and the responsibility of elected officials to protect their constituents, with Maxwell stating that “safety is not partisan.”

Chicago has experienced significant challenges in recent years, with nearly 7,000 murders over the past decade and a population at its lowest level in nearly a century. Illinois has lost a net 1.6 million people to domestic outmigration since 2000, a trend Caldwell attributed partly to crime concerns and failed leadership.

Apostle Anthony Wilson, whose daughter Alicia Prince was murdered two months before the march, spoke to the crowd about the grief of losing a child to violence. His participation embodied the march’s focus on the personal impact of homicide rather than partisan politics, according to Caldwell.

Caldwell announced that the Caldwell Foundation for Public Safety will continue organizing marches in cities and states where violence remains a critical issue. He called on city and state leaders to demonstrate commitment to public safety through action rather than campaign appearances alone.