Three Kings Message of Peace

Youth Bring Gift of Peace to Jackson Square

On January 5th, 2005, Youth Community Organizers from the Hyde Square Task Force in Jamaica Plain brought a Three Kings message of peace to commuters at Jackson Square T Station in Jamaica Plain. Dressed in in regal attire, teens greeted hundreds of afternoon commuters at the Jackson Square Station with candy, books for younger children, and orange buttons proclaiming their message of “Peace on Board the T”.

The teens have been working intensively on the issue of safety on the Orange Line for the past year. Initially, the youth began this campaign after the stabbing of a 14 year old girl last April and have stepped up their efforts after a recent gang rape outside of the Jackson Station. The youth have successfully lobbied for major capital renovations at Jackson Square, worked closely with MBTA and Boston Police, and completed Phase I of a series of murals painted at the Jackson Station.

Borrowing from a Latin traditional cultural & religious holiday, the January 5th Three Kings event was covered by the Boston Globe, the Boston Herald, the Bay State Banner, community newspapers, and several regional Spanish language news sources. It marks the kick-off of what is expected to be a series of high-profile community events centered around local T stations and promoting the "Peace on Board the T" message.

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Two days later, on January 7th, the teens again donned their royal outfits and brought a more traditional Three Kings message to the children at the neighborhood Kennedy Elementary School. The teen "kings & queens" gave gifts of donated toys and books to children at the school, as the Task Force has done for several years. This is the first year that teens have played the role of kings. Also, in a significant break from tradition, it is also the first time that queens have joined the kings at this annual event.

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