(Memphis) Police aren’t the only ones preparing for the KKK’s Memphis rally next week.
A competing event is planned the same day to send a message to the white supremacist group and the rest of the country.
City leaders say as one group gathers downtown to spread a message of hate, thousands of people will pour onto Tiger Lane to celebrate what is great about this city.
The idea is to counteract hate with love.
“We just hope that in this day and age that we can create an environment where we can ignore that kind of behavior,” said John Moore President of the Greater Memphis Chamber, about the Klan.
The Ku Klux Klan will be in Memphis March 30th to show they’re not pleased with the city council changing the name of three confederate-named parks.
So businesses, faith-based groups and civic organizations team together to celebrate Memphis, organizing an event called Heart of Memphis.
People will get to enjoy a free party with live music, food, and everything else that’s good in Memphis.
“Wherever you are whatever walk of life, whatever your faith is, whatever you do for a living, just come be with us and celebrate just being together,” said Moore.
Memphis is not the city it once was, according to Moore. He says this Memphis is extremely accepting and giving, nothing like what the Klan represents.
“Memphis gives more to charity per capita than any city in the United States and there are people here are very charitable, and very loving, and very kind and we don’t want that other stuff here,” he said.
Heart of Memphis will go down on March 30th at Tiger Lane.
The celebration starts at 10:00a and goes until 5:00 in the evening and all are welcome.