As a youth advocate, a person of faith, and a mom who believes that each and every human being has tremendous potential and all lives are precious, the loss of a young person, any young person, is tragic and painful. Every life matters, without exception. 108 days ago, 18 year old Michael Brown was killed, sparking an intense outcry which quickly became a local and national movement. It’s been a time of profound grief over his death and the untimely death of so many young people, especially youth of color. It’s also been a time of civil unrest, as well as some honest and agonizing but necessary self-reflection. Pain can have a powerful purpose; it can be a catalyst for growth and change. Mike Brown’s life, while tragically short, has become a symbol, mobilizing our community and our nation to examine and address deep underlying and systemic issues including racial inequities, educational disparities, and unfair policies and laws. Young people are getting involved, letting their voices be heard, and becoming part of the solution. Youth In Need will continue to respond to the need for outreach and counseling services in North St. Louis County (and throughout our community). We will support our clients and employees as they deal with a range of feelings and experiences, especially our staff working closely with people most directly impacted. We will do more to recognize and address disparities in our organization, so that everyone who comes through our doors feels respected and included. And we will continue to promote peace and understanding by building awareness and skills in our staff and our organization to break down oppressive systems and foster economic inclusion, fair and just laws, and racial equality. I fervently hope and pray that the positive momentum will continue and that meaningful, desperately needed changes will happen, on individual, family, organizational, community and systems levels. Peace, Pat
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 03:02:24 +0000
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