Unattended trauma is the virus that causes violence to spread. With great understanding and sensitivity, a March New York Times op-ed traced much of our nation’s gun violence – and even gun possession – to their roots in trauma and fear. In the article, authors Madison Armstrong and Jennifer Carlson, of the University of Arizona, lay out the reality of the aftermath of violence. “While gun trauma most certainly shapes the aftermath of shootings, it also shapes our day-to-day decisions and sensibilities far beyond specific acts of gun violence.” They make the connection between violence and trauma, how they can fuel each other, and how profoundly trauma can affect not only the individual victim’s behavior, but his or her entire community. “Gun violence entails immediate physical trauma, but it also elicits forms of trauma that can ricochet far beyond its initial target.” They point out several programs in the Unites States that recognize the prime role trauma plays in violence, and that seek to help reduce that trauma, through understanding and kindness. Among the programs they single out is Youth ALIVE!’s Khadafy Washington Project, or KWP. KWP crisis responders reach out to survivors of Oakland homicide victims immediately after a killing, to offer support, aid and comfort, to show shocked families, devastated mothers and children, that they are not alone. They help survivors take the first steps on their road to healing from the trauma they have suffered. They interrupt the cycle of trauma and violence at its most intense. KWP was founded by one of its crisis responders, Marilyn Washington Harris, and is named for her son, Khadafy, who was murdered in Oakland in 2000. Since then, Marilyn and KWP have helped hundreds of families in the difficult days and weeks after a violent death. Read: We’ve Spent Over a Decade Researching Guns in America. This is What We’ve Learned.
“For me, the first thing I think about are the shoulders of the women that I stand on. I think about my mother a lot. She was a young mother who came through some significant adversity in life, leaving school to help support her family after her mother died, and continued pushing to where she is now: a city council representative for her neighborhood in my home city of Swansea, Wales. Service to the community is something my grandparents really promoted. It was my family members who influenced me to go into public life and community advocacy, specifically raising up voices in the community. My mother eventually served as Lord Mayor of the City and County of Swansea. At 81, she is still serving her community and considered a valuable contributor to that community. She raised me to believe that I could do or be anything that I wanted. I came of age during the Women’s Movement, so I’ve walked this journey for some time, and really appreciate how it’s a different world for my children. My daughter and my son live in a world where so much more is possible. My greatest joy are my children and their success in following their passions. They are both committed to a life that includes service to community. Women have been doing the work in the community for as long as there has been work to do in the community.
“I was at Church yesterday; we have virtual worship on zoom. I made sure all the songs we did were by women, so we were honoring all our women. Women’s History Month is just as important as any other celebration. It’s like what James Brown says: It’s a man’s world but a man wouldn’t be anything without a woman.’ We would not be here without women.
In Support of Asian Lives and Against White Supremacy
- Youth ALIVE! stands in solidarity with Asian American community members and organizations working to address the increase in violence and hate crimes targeting Asian American families and individuals. We echo the calls to dismantle white supremacy and stop Asian hate. We recognize the need to meaningfully address not only the recently publicized instances of Anti-Asian violence and hate crimes, but the centuries of Anti-Asian rhetoric, policies, and norms that have contributed to our society’s collective devaluation of Asian American lives and humanity.
“Women’s history month in my opinion is underrated. Women have done so much, but even with all the steps that have happened to move things forward, women are still not as valued as they should be. I’m a grown man and I’ve only recently learned about Women’s History Month. So first of all, I’m super grateful to women. I have a daughter, and I believe women should be recognized every day, not just for the month. When I think about my daughter, I want equal rights. As an African American, I want racism eradicated and I also want sexism erased. I want my daughter to feel like she can run for president, or any job she wants, and to be comfortable in her own skin.
“When I think of Women’s History Month, I think of it as creating an opportunity for women to be on the front lines of healing. I’ve seen a lot of positive women in my life, but I have also had women disappoint me, including my own mother. A lot of women don’t have good relationships with other women, and my goal is to create circles of sisterhood. Even if we don’t always see eye-to-eye on everything, we share similar pain. Once we learn each other’s stories, we can respect one another and understand that we’re each the experts of our own lives. Learning my mom’s story helped me mend that relationship. For me, women’s empowerment comes from women being able to love themselves.
Prior to January’s Presidential Inauguration, several Youth ALIVE! staff members were invited to address members of the Biden-Harris transition team at online forums hosted by the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention, aka The HAVI. Youth ALIVE! is a founding member of the HAVI, a nationwide alliance of hospital-based violence intervention programs and proponents of community-based violence prevention.
We’re continuously impressed by the dynamism of our Teens on Target youth leaders at Castlemont and Fremont High Schools, and especially these days by how quickly they have adapted to online platforms to get their message out. Their undaunted commitment to creating a safer, fairer city is inspiring. As hard as things are these days, meeting and listening to them simply leaves you feeling optimistic. Since the pandemic began, TNT youth leaders have been as busy as ever, speaking at conferences and public forums and just participating in the public conversation. In December, several TNT youth leaders, including Kimberly Higareda, spoke at a conference organized with Vision Quilt and Oakland Frontline Healers. Vision Quilt works to prevent violence. They encourage young people to use art to express how gun violence affects their lives and to highlight what they feel needs to change. participated as well. OFC is an alliance of organizations and volunteers providing a wide range of crucial services in the community, including help with housing and homelessness, re-entry, violence prevention and access to Covid-19 testing and health care.
In 5 minutes of raw, honest, beautiful testimony and animation, our Khadafy Washington ProjectCoordinator Jasmine Hardison takes you on her journey of healing after the killing of her only son, Davey. Watch and listen and you will learn so much about a mother’s love, the pain of loss, the strength survivors find within themselves, and the power of healing. Thank you to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence for producing this video with Jasmine.
