Gun violence has negatively affected my life since I was young. In 4th grade I hadn’t experienced much except pain, this pain is something an 8-year-old shouldn’t have to experience.
I woke up one morning and it felt like just another day. Little did I know that my life would change forever. It was spring break, and I didn’t have school but I got dressed and ate breakfast like normal. My mom told me that I was going to my cousins house for her birthday. I had a odd feeling when I was there that I couldn’t shake. I don’t remember the specifics but I knew I was getting picked up early, and it wasn’t by my mom.
When I got home it was like a old black and white silent film. Everyone was at my house crying screaming and falling out. My mom couldn’t even talk I was so confused. My grandmother sat me down in her room to tell me that there was an incident and my father was shot and had passed away. The tears ran instantly and I couldn’t keep my composure. It seems like since that moment things would go downhill for me but I found a way to cope with the situation. Family friends and therapy helped.
According to Pew Research, 150,000 Africans Americans have died of homicides since 2010. Theses are statics that mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters are affected by just like me. We need to put a end to killing and hurting each other no matter what skin color. It was our ancestors who fought for us to have the right of equality, when we are put in prisons.
There are more prisons in California than there are colleges.That sends the message that society doesn’t want us to strive for excellence or that we can’t do it. That’s the message the government is sending the youth in our community. Young people learn more from each other: good, bad or indifferent than from adults worth modeling. I think my father died because a teenager was modeling the bad life choices he saw around him.
We have the voice and power to change this. So why not take advantage of the social media, the resources, our education and the passion we have today to stand with each other and not against each other.