Dr. King’s dream and march, our nightmare and pain “I feel so broken hearted, I cried so many tears There was so much you gave me, to my heart, to my soul So much of your dreams that were never told There was hope for a brighter day Why were you, my flower, plucked away Oh, oh, I’m missing you Tell me why the road turns I’m missing you” —Diana Ross I miss my son. I miss hugging him. I miss looking in his eyes when he is excited. I miss us discussing his plans for his future. I miss sharing in his everyday experiences. I miss his smile. I miss his joy. All I ever wanted was for him to be in an environment where he can grow. My son was arrested at 19 years of age. He was sentenced t

The phone rings a woman cries out. “Rhonda, is your son okay? I heard he was robbed at gunpoint. Was he shot?" "My son is on his way home from school. It must be someone else." I replied. I hung up the phone and I called the cell phone my sister had bought my son for Christmas. A voice I did not recognize answered. I asked, “Who is this?" I demanded, "Put my son on the phone."  The person responded, "You're son is dead" and then they hung up. I called back crying, "Please put my son on the phone." They replied, "He's dead." I ran to the car with no idea of where I was going. I decided to drive the route my son would have walked home from school. I was praying "Please God let me find m

Kudos to St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church Youth Department for providing an educational opportunity for youth 13-17yrs of age. The program will focus on youth violence prevention- to save a life and save freedom. The program will include discussions on youth death and youth arrests. Everyone is welcome. Please bring youth who you feel could benefit from the outreach. On Friday youth will write down what they want to discuss. A mother who lost her teenage son will discuss choices. Her son died after making a bad choice and police attempted to apprehend him. The mother has a powerful tragic story to share with the youth. Their will also be several youth performances including the Aztec

"What have I got to do to make you love me? Huh? What have I got to do to make you care? What do I do when lightening strikes me and I wake up and find that you're not there? What have I got to do to make you want me? What have I got to do to be heard? What do I say when it's all over? And sorry seems to be the hardest word? It's a sad, so sad It's a sad sad situation and it's getting more and more absurd... It's sad, so sad. Why can't we talk it over? Oh it seems to me that sorry seems to be the hardest word" Ray Charles and Elton John" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y29dWcuqQY   In Memory of All of Sacramento Youth Homicide Victims (This is an incomplete list. I apologize for all the n

In the view of Sacramento community activist Kathy Jenkins, stronger parenting of youth is key to reducing gang violence. At a forum in Oak Park on youth and gang-related violence, Jenkins told a crowd of about 150 Sacramento residents, city staffers and police officers that assertive parents should influence the lives of young people. “This is called parenting, this is not policing,” Jenkins said. “If we could parent, and if we can raise,” she added, “and if we can encourage, and if we can take guns and give books, if we can give dolls instead of pimping ... If we could do these things, we could put (the police) out of work. I would rather see them writing parking tickets.” Jenkins was

On Monday, December 20th, I received two emails to attend the NAACP Press Conference scheduled for Tuesday December 21th, 2010 at 9:30am which ask for a Community to stand united “to engage in a process that will result in a strategic plan to end the senseless violence that has been occurring in our city.” With all my heart and outrage I wanted to attend the conference. But with such short notice I was unable to get the morning off of work. Since I was not at the Press Conference and read an article in the daily paper which concerns me I am writing this open letter to the “Mayor, Leaders, Activists”, standing united. To be honest I was both excited and disappointed. I am genuinely excite

An Open Letter to the Mayor and Council for the City of Sacramento As a resident of the City of Sacramento who has continuously stood before you begging, crying, pleading for you to address the violence, which has left our children dead on Sacramento city streets or leaving Sacramento to become the walking dead in California prisons, I have several questions regarding your position on surveillance cameras. In regards to Sacramento Press article: Police Working on Surveillance System http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/41637/Police_working_on_surveillance_system   Within the article it states: “There are many factors that will determine where the cameras will be placed...Among those

This morning I woke up determined to have a good day. But I guess that was not suppose to happen. I left to drive my son to school. We stopped on the way to pick up one of his classmates. We sang with the music on the radio and laughed and talked. Everything was nice. I drove home and decided to clean out my car. It was peaceful on my street. Everything seem so nice. I called a co-worker to see if she could work for me today. I decided to go shopping and then come home and wash clothes, cook dinner and basically relax the rest of the night. I sang as I headed off to the store. When I arrived in the store I received a call from a relative. I answered the phone and heard the words, "Rhon

(Please see Part 1) In front of me, the officer continued to make my son feel like crap, like less than a human being. And my anger grew. The officer told me he will talk to me but not my son, not in the presence of my son and for my son to stand back and he and I could walk away and speak. I should have turned and walked away at that moment. But instead I wanted to give the officer the benefit of the doubt. I walked away from my son to hear the officers explanation. The look in my sons eyes haunt me as I write this, I could see his pain was compounded. I believe the officer could not justify his actions and somewhere in that uniform he couldn't face my son telling me the truth in front

If one really wishes to know how justice is administered in a country, one does not question the policemen, the lawyers, the judges, or the protected members of the middle class. One goes to the unprotected--those, precisely, who need the law's protection most!--and listens to their testimony. James Baldwin For many Sacramento residents life for us has not been a crystal stair. It's had many obstacles (tacks), set backs (splinters), disappointments (boards) and places where their seems to be no relief (no carpet on the floor) But we keep climbing. we keep trying, we keep living maintaining love and hope. Each time my oldest sons appeal is denied I send him a letter writing, a quote from

Sacramento Police said Monday that gang violence led to a fatal shooting within a crowd gathered outside a Midtown bar after a Second Saturday Art Walk. Police presence was stepped up Saturday, and for the first time, officers enforced the 10 p.m. curfew for minors, which coincides with the art event's official closing time. But the killing early Sunday has pressed city and business leaders to find additional ways to address growing concerns rather than end the popular event. On Saturday, 20 Sacramento police officers and at least eight undercover officers from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control worked to combat underage drinking and public partying or "tailgating,"

The Mike B Foundation will join the call to "Silence the Violence" to call for an end to gun violence in Sacramento. Sacramento, Ca (July 24, 2010) On Saturday, July 24th, The Mike B Foundation will host the "Silence the Violence, National Day of Action in Sacramento to call for an end to the violence that plagues Sacramento streets. The activities will start at 10am at 4124 - 4542 Florin Road at the corner of Franklin Blvd, Sacramento.  One of the objectives is to allow the community to take steps towards healing and come together in an effort to bring peace to our streets. The event is held in honor of those lost to violence and will allow opportunites to work together for a better com

Mayor Johnson July, a month celebrated for Independence and Freedom has become tragic for many Sacramento residents. As you look to gain more power community residents wonder if you are taking some time to look at a crisis of youth violence existing in Sacramento? If so, other than providing more after-the-crime occurs officers on our street what if any plans do you have to prevent youth violence? Do you have any plans to assist in a community taking steps towards healing from the aftermath of death. We do appreciate the presence of law enforcement officers. We are not making light of their efforts. However, many of us see law enforcement as a crime deterrent and not necessarily a soluti

Councilmember Pannell I received a phone voice message from Open Sacramento. I don't know how they received my phone number nor do I know how they received my email address. I never signed any attendance sheets for an event held by Open Sacramento that would contain my personal contact information. When I sign in to speak at city council sessions I provide both my email and phone number. I hope that information is not shared with others.  I do not like feeling strong armed into a Strong Mayor plan which I believe still has minimum community input. The voice message states, " Hi, This message is for Rhonda. My name is Eli and I'm calling on behalf of Open Sacramento. If you're in support

I will soon take my 17yr old son to his second funeral. In March my youngest son to the funeral of his 17yr old friend who was shot and killed on a Sacramento city street. Today, just as in March, my son came in the room not knowing how to release his pain. His eyes are beginning to look like my older son's when friends he knew were shot and killed. It’s so difficult to watch your children’s eyes suddenly begin to lose a sparkle as his eyes begin to hold reminisce of death. I have fought so hard for my younger son not to know the pain my older son knew. Is my fighting for our children to live and know freedom in vain? Today my son looked at me and said, "Mom, another friend is dead. H

Sacramento City Council candidate and law enforcement officer Henry Harry is troubled by youth violence in Sacramento. Harry, an Oak Park resident and a 13-year Sacramento County deputy sheriff, said youth violence is one of the key reasons he’s running for Lauren Hammond’s District 5 City Council seat. There are ways to prevent youth violence, Harry said, but too many young people are dying in Sacramento. “And it breaks my heart to see it,” he said. The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June 8 election. Harry, 44, is one of five candidates running for the District 5 seat. Hammond, the sitting councilwoman, is competing in a race for Assemblyman

It was my intention to continuing interviewing families affected by youth violence. I have not abandoned speaking to families. I feel it's important to go beyond the surface and take a good hard look at the history of gangs, specifically Bloods and Crips. It is important we go beyond simply saying "it's gang-related" or simply blaming parents. It is necessary for us to look at any and all contributing factors if we desire effective solutions. Before I begin I want to make it clear not all black youth are involved in gang culture. In Sacramento gang culture has masqueraded, for some, as black youth culture. In 2005 I read several editorials in the SacBee titled, "Hmong gangs need to be a

Below is Information of an upcoming event to address Youth & Gangs.  If you're interested in participating I encourage you to please register. Also please forward the information to any interested person or organization. Thank you Webinar To Address Gang Prevention On April 21, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. E.T., the National Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent or At Risk will host a Webinar on gang prevention. Gang Prevention From Multiple Perspectives: Federal, Research, and Practice will explore youth involvement in gangs, including current data and initiatives, research, and prevention and reduction strategies, with emp

On March 15, 2006 Ada Jefferson stood over her sink washing her hair. Her phone rang. Ada recalls looking at the phone and wondering why her friend was calling in the middle of the afternoon. Ada remembers saying to herself, "she should be at work. I wonder why she's calling?" She could have kept washing her hair and returned the call when she was finished but she felt a strong urge to immediately answer the call. Ada remembers four years ago as if it was yesterday. She begins to state everything that occurred. "I answered the phone. My friend said Jack's been shot." I replied, 'Jack who?" In her mind she was trying to think of all the people she knew name Jack. The last person to come

On April 12, 2010, at 2:40 p.m., Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Double Homicide at Howe Avenue and Bluebird Lane. The deputies found 27yr-old Stefon Mayers Jr, lying next to the car’s driver’s-side door. Mayers suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He was able to step out of the car but collapsed next to the car. Deputies also located 18yr-old Jazzmye Sharnae Bruner sitting in the front passenger seat of the car, dead at the scene, with a single gunshot wound. Will County Supervisor Sue Peters address the violence or the families suffering as a result of the violence in her district? With the exception of Cortez Quinn, chief of staff for Supervisor Dickinson, who has cont