Two Columbus men host “100 Men Walk” for unity

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Two Columbus men are looking to bring unity to the community. Jerome Lawson and D’Antwon Henderson hosted their “100 Men Walk” Saturday.

Nearly a dozen men, all from different backgrounds, walked through the projects of the Elizabeth Canty Homes and talked with people in the neighborhoods about their struggles.

“To be able to come and stand shoulder to shoulder, brother to brother with the things we have going on in the community to bring change,” said D’Antwon Henderson. “Because in order to see change, you have to be the change you want to see.”

Henderson says the walk is to show the presence of upstanding men in the community.

“When we are willing to come in and get on one accord with you guys and see if we can change things from the inside out,” said Henderson. “Many times, we have a bunch of words, but its all when the boots hit the ground and the rubber meats the road when it’s time to actually go forth. That’s what it’s all about.”

In 2019, a quadruple murder took place in the Elizabeth Canty Homes located on Cusseta Road. Along that same road, there have been multiple shootings.

For co-founder Jerome Lawson, this walk was a trip down memory lane.

“Those apartments right there on the corner - it was six of us on the corner,” Lawson recalled. “It’s kind of like a wilderness walk because it gives us time to think about what we are doing as we do it.”

Lawson says when he lived in these homes, the community was unified. He recounted a time when his father was abusing his mother at the neighborhood basketball park and the community saved them.

“I’m tied to this area that we are walking on,” Lawson said. “So, that’s why community is important because the community came together that night to help my mom.”

One of the men in Saturday’s walk was Columbus mayoral candidate John Anker, who didn’t want to go on camera because he says he came as Columbus citizen and a supporter of Jerome Lawson.

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