Stevie Wonder to Minneapolis youth: 'You cannot say Black Lives Matter, and then kill yourselves'

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Music legend Stevie Wonder took part in a north Minneapolis "Conference on Peace" on Saturday, focusing on ending youth gun violence.

Wonder focused on the recent verdict of St. Anthony, Minnesota police officer Jeronimo Yanez, acquitted Friday in last summer's killing of Philando Castile during a traffic stop. He urged the crowd to help bring peace to their communities.

“It is in your hands to stop all the killing and all the shooting wherever it might be.  Because you cannot say Black Lives Matter and then kill yourselves,” Wonder said. “Because you know, we’ve mattered long before it was said. But the way we show all the various of people color matter is by loving each other and doing something about it – not just talking about it.”

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Various speakers, including civil rights leader Benjamin Chavis, all focused on city street violence between young people.

Part of the solution, they said, centers around finding alternatives to street warfare for young people trapped in the cycle of poverty. Speakers reminded parents how large a role they play in guiding their children's lives.

About 100 people participated in the conference at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church.