Sandra Parks (2005-2018), an eighth-grade student at Keefe Avenue School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was shot dead by a stray bullet on Monday night, the 19th. She was seventh child this year in the Milwaukee school district to be murdered.
Mayor Tom Barrett:
“Tragically, her death was caused by someone who just decided they were going to shoot bullets into her house, and she’s dead. A 13-year-old, on Thanksgiving week, on a school night, in her bedroom, and she died.”
In 2017 she came in third place in her school district’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr writing contest.
Here is what she wrote:
Our Truth
Sometimes, I sit back and I have to escape from what I see and hear every day. I put my headphones on and let the music take me away. I move to the beat and try to think about life and what everything means. When I do; I come to the same conclusion… we are in a state of chaos. In the city in which I live, I hear and see examples of chaos almost everyday. Little children are victims of senseless gun violence. There is too much black on black crime. As an African-American, that makes me feel depressed. Many people have Lost faith in America and its ability to be a living example of Dr. King’s dream!
The truth is faith and hope in what people can do, has been lost in the poor choices we make. We shall overcome has been lost in the lie of who we have become! So now, the real truth is, we need to rewrite our story so that faith and hope for a better tomorrow, is not only within us, but we believe it and we put it into actions.
Our first truth is that we must start caring about each other. We need to be empathetic and try to walk in each other’s shoes. We shall overcome when we eliminate the negative and nasty comments people make about each other. We shall overcome, when we love ourselves and the people around us. Then, we become our brothers keeper.
Our second truth is that we need to have purpose. We are the future generation, therefore we must have an education to make a positive difference in the world. We are the future leaders, but if we don’t have an education, we will accomplish nothing. We will overcome, when we use our education to make the world a better place. We will become the next President, law enforcement officers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and law makers. We cannot continue to put the responsibility on other people. It is our responsibility as future leaders!
We must not allow the lies of violence, racism, and prejudice to be our truth. The truth begins with us. Instead of passing each other like ships in the night, we must fight until our truths stretch to the ends of the world.
She wanted to become a writer.
Requiescat in pace.
See also:
- also metro Milwaukee:
- Sylville Smith
- Aaron Mak
- Wade Michael Page
- gerrymandering
- Sheriff David Clarke – a Black sheriff who regularly appeared on Fox News
- The black-on-black crime argument
529
Beautiful words from a beautiful young soul what shame she had to be taken away for her words to be acknowledged. May she Rest In Peace.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“We are the future generation, therefore we must have an education to make a positive difference in the world. We are the future leaders, but if we don’t have an education, we will accomplish nothing. We will overcome, when we use our education to make the world a better place.”
Yes! This point is so important. The idea applies to any community, regardless of race, but especially to those groups that are downtrodden and jaded.
When people are more educated, they are able to win greater political power. Once they’re in power, they can begin to reform society. Then their children will grow up even more educated, be able to attain even more power, and go on to make even more reforms.
What a shame that this bright young woman will never write again.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That feeling, when in my 30th and even in my native language I coul not have it written better or even close to it. RiP.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a heartbreaking story. We’ve heard this type of story way too much. May this young angel rest in peace 😢
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hadn’t seen this news before now. But earlier this week I had been following the reporting on the shooting death of Dr. Tamara O’Neal at Chicago Mercy. And now I don’t even quite have the words to express what I’m feeling, but it’s kind of like Sandra Parks could have been a young Dr. O’Neal but she didn’t get to live even that long. It is a terrible loss to humanity. And I just don’t understand how the current gun laws are supposed to be in our benefit when society keeps losing good people because bad people have the ability to snuff out their life so easily.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My heart breaks at the loss of this strong sweet young leader. xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
RIP, this is really a tragedy
LikeLiked by 1 person
So tired of this happening to our poeple
LikeLiked by 1 person