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Tracey Dent (center), a community organizer from Milwaukee, wins the third place Sandra Parks won at a vigil on Tuesday.
Ximena Conde / WPR
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Ximena Conde / WPR
Tracey Dent (center), a community organizer from Milwaukee, wins the third place Sandra Parks won at a vigil on Tuesday.
Ximena Conde / WPR
Two years ago, when Sandra Parks, a grade six student, was at Keefe Avenue School in Milwaukee, she wrote an essay on gun violence.
"We are in a state of chaos, in the city where I live, hear and see examples of chaos almost every day, little children are victims of senseless gun violence." too many crimes against blacks.As an African, American, it makes me feel depressed.Many people have lost faith in America and in its capacity to be a living example of Dr. King's dream. ! "
The essay titled "Our Truth" took third place in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest of the Milwaukee Public School. In January 2017, Sandra told Wisconsin Public Radio: "All you hear is someone who dies and someone who gets shot." People are not content to think of the father, son, granddaughter or grandson who has just been killed. "
She also said that she was looking forward to doing great things in her life. "I would like to put an end to all the violence and negativity that is happening in the world," she said. "And stop all black crimes on black, and all the rumors and stereotypes that are spread around."
On Monday, Sandra was shot when an armed man opened fire on his house. She was 13 years old. Wisconsin Public Radio authorities always report if the home was targeted.
according to The sentinel of the Milwaukee newspaperIsaac D. Barnes, 26, has been charged with homicide and Untrell Oden, 27, faces two counts of felony with a gun.
Bernice Parks, Sandra's mother, told The sentinel of the Milwaukee newspaper that his daughter was "all that this world is not".
"My baby was not violent, my baby did not like violence," Parks said. "All the people that she has known, all those who have gone by, she has made them happy, she did not like anyone to be sad or depressed."
On Tuesday night, the community of Milwaukee remembered Parks at a vigil in front of his home. Wisconsin Public Radio reports that Berenice Parks told people in mourning that her daughter was the twelfth student at a Milwaukee Public School killed this year.
"I understand that there are many children who have died recently and I would not say that my baby was better than others but God, Jesus, Lord, have mercy," said Bernice Parks, referring to the fact that her daughter is the twelfth student of the Milwaukee Public School to be a victim of a homicide this year. "Lord, have mercy on me, it was a star who was trying to go out, but she did not know how."
Other community activists and religious leaders prayed and called for an end to the violence.
"We need to change the culture, we can not live in those neighborhoods where these kids can not go out and stay home," said Tory Lowe, another community organizer.
"We must not allow the lies of violence, racism and prejudice to be our truth, the truth begins with us," wrote Sandra in her essay condemning gun violence. "Instead of crossing us like ships in the night, we must fight until our truths reach the ends of the world."
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