With a large bronze bust of Martin Luther King Junior as a backdrop, plans for a Unity Bike Ride in Buffalo were announced Monday. Organizers said the ride is in response to the recent violence across the nation.
The Unity Ride is the brainchild of Buffalo Common Councilmembers Joel Feroleto and Ulysees Wingo.
"We want to ensure that the rest of the country can look at Buffalo and use Buffalo as a model for how to come together - and not just come together, but stay together and be a resource and a strength for everyone to see that we are in fact the City of Good Neighbors," said Wingo.
Feroleto says the ride is meant to highlight the good in Buffalo - and be a positive example of local residents solidarity.
"The people of the city of Buffalo are what make it so great," said Feroleto. "This Unity Bike Ride will only help to bring our communities closer together."
To help coordinate the event, the Councilmembers are teaming up with Slow Roll Buffalo. Its co-founder, Seamus Gallivan, says the ride starts at Niagara Square at noon on Saturday.
"We will ride to MLK Park. We will ride to Delaware Park, then to Front Park - these beautiful Olmsted Parks and parkways - and then we will ride back to Niagara Square and have an after-party," said Gallivan. "As always with Slow Roll, all are invited. It's an inclusive event."
Buffalo Police "C District" Chief Barbara Lark says the hearts of many officers are heavy following the deadly shooting of five Dallas Police Officers last week. But Lark says the Unity Ride is a positive initiative and "the department will do its best" to ensure that it's a safe event.