Now is the time to speak out. Hadiya’s murder is serving as our modern day Emmett Till with an open casket funeral exposing the senseless violence and brutality that has claimed far too many young people’s lives in this country.
Every week, the Black Youth Project collects the top news stories about black youth from across the country. This week: “Incarceration is not only answer to urban youth violence,” “Chicago gets ‘F’ for efforts to stop youth violence,” and more!
“Anger is a grief of distortions between peers, and its object is change…I cannot hide my anger to spare your guilt, nor hurt feelings, nor answering anger; for to do so insults and trivializes all our efforts. Guilt is not a response to anger; it is a response to one’s own action or lack of […]
Michelle Obama’s plan to attend Hadiya’s funeral is a wonderful gesture. But it does not address the systemic issues contributing to gun violence in Chicago. Mr. President! Come home! We need your voice and leadership!
A new article in the New York Daily News delves deeper into the Black Youth Project’s petition to President Obama, asking that President Obama make a speech addressing gun violence in the Windy City. Sign the petition at http://Change.org/BarackComeHome
3 year-old Temorej Smith fatally shot himself after playing with a pink gun he thought was a toy. What a tragic, totally preventable situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with Temorej’s family at his incredibly difficult time. Rest in Peace, Temorej.
In an op-ed published in the Chicago Sun-Times, Rev. Jesse Jackson urges President Obama to come home to Chicago and address the city’s gun violence crisis.
Chicago Police are now offering a $40,000 reward for information pertaining to the shooting death of 15 year-old Hadiya Pendleton. Originally $11,000, the department was able to up the dollar amount after a flood of donations from the public.
Below is an original poem I wrote after my childhood friend, Naomi Clyburn, was murdered in my hometown.
The Black Youth Project has launched a petition, asking that President Obama come to Chicago and deliver a major speech that addresses the crisis of gun violence in Black and Latino communities. Please stand up for and with Black and Latino youth by signing this petition!
7 year-old Wilson Reyes was accused of stealing $5 from a classmate, and a scuffle ensued. Instead of being sent to the principal’s office, the NYPD took him to a police station, handcuffed Reyes to a wall, and interrogated him for hours.
The 15-year-old King College Prep student Hadiya Pendleton was gunned down yesterday in a park near the school. Just a week ago, Pendelton had traveled to Washington DC and performed at President Obama’s inauguration with her school’s drill team.
