REFLECTIONS (long post)

February is around the corner which will start the beginning of Black History Month, I reflect during this month because I am appreciative of many courageous people of colour in the past that paved the way for me to have many opportunities today, such as freedom to have an education, to work in an environment in which all employees are treated with equality and an organization such as my union that ensures the equality is being upheld. So it breaks my heart when violent crimes continue to happen that generally relates to the black community, and I want to emphasize my perspective is based only on my city, my community. Recently within the community I live in which to be honest used to be plagued with plenty of crime; drug dealers, increase in violence the law enforcement made a huge effort to apprehend the culprits and bring back peace to my community, a man last week was killed in cold- blooded act of violence the culprit was like a soulless human and the violent act shook the community and got together to mourn the loss of the victim but also mourning the loss of so many young black man that have lost their lives to violence. Now the flip side of this is as a Child Youth Worker I have worked with young black males that made poor choices and as a result crimes were committed against them such as gang involvement/drugs etc I think sometimes a person may want to change their lives on a positive path but others that want to continue that lifestyle and still want that person to join them will not let them move on, I think its like the 'gang mentality" feels the person is turning their back on them telling them they are now better than them. I hope when my girls grow up they would live in a world people value one another, people can resolve issues withought wanting to kill another human being.