Silence is Violence Jan. 15th Update

[ibjamn]

January 15, 2008

Hi, everyone—

To mark the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. today, several dozen of us gathered at the memorial to Dr. King at the intersection of MLK Boulevard and Claiborne Ave. Mayor Nagin laid a wreath in Dr. King's memory, and Reverend Joseph Recasner spoke passionately about his legacy.

Tragically, just two blocks away, a young man was shot at the very moment these events were taking place.

We have just come through a weekend of hope and of renewed commitment on the part of SilenceIsViolence and of citizens around New Orleans to continue working to make our city safer. On Friday, SilenceIsViolence held a press conference and memorial, during which members of the NOPD, FBI, and Department of Justice stood together with victims, clergy, and ordinary citizens to memorialize victims and demonstrate our unity in the fight against violent crime. On Friday night, all of the brass bands in town played in memory of Dinerral Shavers and in a spirit of anti-violence at the Howlin' Wolf: We raised $6,000 for the Dinerral Shavers Educational Fund to benefit Dinerral Jr's education and the Rabouin High School Marching Band.

Then, on Saturday, Big Tank Entertainment put on a major anti-violence rally MC'd by Wild Wayne of Q-93FM and featuring all non-violent rap. The rally was held in the Upper Ninth Ward on the 25th birthday of Chivas Doyle, murdered last January 13, 2007.

On Friday and Saturday, we felt the energy of this city coming together in unity and determination and could sense a shifting of the violent crisis that has gripped our streets for so many months. Yet on Saturday night, we lost 16-year-old Gervais Nicolas, a student at Cohen High School, and just a few hours ago we lost another young man even as we honored this nation's greatest voice for anti-violence, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

There is still so much work to do. These past few days have shown us both the urgency of this work and the strong resources we as a community possess to bring to the task. We will continue working together until we feel that tide turn.

Ken and Baty
www.silenceisviolence.org (http://www.silenceisviolence.org/)

[Corona]

I was sooooooo happy to have been able to be there for the Friday night benefit at Howling Wolf. That was a serious brass band throwdown!!! :)

[linza22]

January 15, 2008

Hi, everyone—

To mark the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. today, several dozen of us gathered at the memorial to Dr. King at the intersection of MLK Boulevard and Claiborne Ave. Mayor Nagin laid a wreath in Dr. King's memory, and Reverend Joseph Recasner spoke passionately about his legacy.

Tragically, just two blocks away, a young man was shot at the very moment these events were taking place.

We have just come through a weekend of hope and of renewed commitment on the part of SilenceIsViolence and of citizens around New Orleans to continue working to make our city safer. On Friday, SilenceIsViolence held a press conference and memorial, during which members of the NOPD, FBI, and Department of Justice stood together with victims, clergy, and ordinary citizens to memorialize victims and demonstrate our unity in the fight against violent crime. On Friday night, all of the brass bands in town played in memory of Dinerral Shavers and in a spirit of anti-violence at the Howlin' Wolf: We raised $6,000 for the Dinerral Shavers Educational Fund to benefit Dinerral Jr's education and the Rabouin High School Marching Band.

Then, on Saturday, Big Tank Entertainment put on a major anti-violence rally MC'd by Wild Wayne of Q-93FM and featuring all non-violent rap. The rally was held in the Upper Ninth Ward on the 25th birthday of Chivas Doyle, murdered last January 13, 2007.

On Friday and Saturday, we felt the energy of this city coming together in unity and determination and could sense a shifting of the violent crisis that has gripped our streets for so many months. Yet on Saturday night, we lost 16-year-old Gervais Nicolas, a student at Cohen High School, and just a few hours ago we lost another young man even as we honored this nation's greatest voice for anti-violence, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

There is still so much work to do. These past few days have shown us both the urgency of this work and the strong resources we as a community possess to bring to the task. We will continue working together until we feel that tide turn.

Ken and Baty
www.silenceisviolence.org (http://www.silenceisviolence.org/)


thank you so much for keeping us posted. i bet it was wonderful to be there.

[ohio]

Bless baty for her seemingly endless energies. We need someone like her here where I live. Several murders already this year.

[rosetree]

Bless baty for her seemingly endless energies. We need someone like her here where I live. Several murders already this year.

You mean it's not just us???????:mad:

[ohio]

We have a bad murder problem linked to drugs as well. The streets in the neighborhood where I spent my teenage years are now "crack alley", with murders on a regular basis. There was a beautiful JCC there which has closed it's doors for good. Friends who live there can't even sell their houses at a loss :(

[mamaroux]

You mean it's not just us???????:mad:

no, babe, I'm afraid it's the whole damn place... Philly is so bad, too.

[Orleansnj]

no, babe, I'm afraid it's the whole damn place... Philly is so bad, too.

Nope - it's not just NO - it's everywhere. Two nights ago a 15 year old girl stabbed an 18 year old girl to death in Newark ......

it's an epidemic.
:(

[mightyradgumbo]

Boston has, quite remarkably, got better. It peaks and valleys though. We have other cities in MA. that consistently are trying to find solutions. Sad to see there was a murder there at the same time the events of the day were happening.