Dorchester- Lorenz Island Kuisine owner Christopher Graham is a man
facilitating change. The Jamaican restaurateur, among other local Codman
Square merchants, ahs announced a concert and celebration planned for July
28 in that neighborhood. The event, named "Peace Out", is finally being
realized by Graham, after the idea was born more than a year ago when he was
just opening his business.

"When I took control of the building, I wanted to do something to celebrate
and bring people out in the community," Graham said, "Now we have a chance
to pull it off."

This past Monday, Graham ad fellow local merchants including Mike Dockery
form Summit Electronics, Oscar Moreno form Mt. Washington Bank and Roger
Lawson of Lawson Hair Salon, gathered before the Codman Square Neighborhood
council to ask for ideas as they share their message with the community.
"This isn't about money," said Dockery. "It's about showing love and giving
care back to the community."

Graham, who co-owns the Lorenz Island Kuisine at 657 Washington St. with his
sister Michele, said it took the death of his uncle to push him to make the
event happen. "After my uncle was killed in April, I felt that enough was
enough, and there needed to be change," Graham said, adding that the goal of
the event is to get people in the community to have fun, meet each other
and learn who their neighbors are.

"If we get to know our neighbors, it'll be much easier to notice and report
when we see something out of place," he said.

Running from noon to approximately 5pm, at the corner of Washington st. and
Euclid St. (next to 657 Washington St. ) the event will include live music,
local vendors and food alongside community-based organizations like AIDS
Action Coalition, the Guardian Angels and the Codman Square Health Center.
Graham is hoping that city officials will come out to bring a positive
message to local residents.

"I hope the media can help us spread our message, he said. "It seems like
the media is always there when it's wrong, and this is a chance to be there
when it is right."