The Westside Gazette

“Broken but not broke”

 By Bobby R. Henry

      Tragedy has once again taken a toll on a young Black mother whose life has been taken by gun violence, in what has become, all too often, a sad commentary on our communities of color, according to a family member (who wishes to remain anonymous).

“It hurts. Yes, we are broken but we’re not broke.”

A five-month-old infant survived this horrific crime, and the family is scared for its life.

According to news reports a good Samaritan on his way home from a convenience store said he saw a car in the canal around 2:30 A.M. This occurred at Northwest Eighth Street and 10th Avenue. He was able to get the baby out alive but not the lady who was later identified as Jazzmine Brayboy, age 22. She was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

“Homicide detectives are trying to determine what led  to this crash, what led up to the shooting, and also the circumstances surrounding this and the sequence of events,” said Coleman-Wright.

According to police a 17-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of Jazzmine Brayboy, in the shooting that led to the canal crash.

Here we are again where the toll of death far exceeds the radius of the crime. Families are torn apart,  the pain is unbearable and at this time unforgiveable. How does a family heal from this and how does the community help?

Feeling the pain of the families and from his own personal experiences, Pastor Brenden Jones of Mount Calvary Baptist in Pompano, along with the community, has planned a Peace Walk.

“I know firsthand what it feels like to lose a family member to gun violence. I lost my brother who was 19 years old to the streets. I know the pain and I’m willing to help to find a way to stop this killing,” said a very empathic Pastor Jones.

The family’s plea is for justice. “We just want justice. We need to stop giving things and start giving Love and Goodness’.”

“We have to start teaching our young Black boys how to become Black men. It’s sad but it’s true,” the family member continued.

What happens when we give, give and give in hopes of them becoming men?

Dr. Jawanza Kunjufuone’s statement that Black women love their sons and raise their daughters,  seems to become more and more evident. What is also becoming more evident is the state of mental health of Black America. There are conversations all over the country about addressing our mental health, and still everyday lives are lost to violence.

Pastor Jones, in his plea for the community to help in stopping the gun violence, mentioned his first coming to Mount Calvary a year ago.

“Since I became the pastor of Mount Calvary, I have seen at least eight deaths from gun violence, one of them was during my first week here. I came to the church and saw the police across the street and there was a body in the ditch of a Black male who had been shot to death.”

How do we begin to address this problem and the victims?

“I was involved with a group of brothers out of Miami, Florida called the Circle of Brotherhood and we went directly to the source or what was considered to be the perpetrators of the problems and the victims. We began to address the issue by engaging in conversations with the young men to find out what they wanted and needed and then finding ways to get them jobs and to get the courts to look at their behavior in a different manner. We need to create something like this in this area.

“It’s time for us to realize that we are all family and when one hurts, we all hurt. The community has to help stop these killings,” said Pastor Jones.

    Please come out and join the community in the Peace Up Guns Down walk which will occur on Thursday, March 3rd. The lineup will occur at 4:30 p.m.  at Mount Calvary Baptist Church 800 NW 8th Ave. Pompano Beach, Fl 3306

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