As a pre-teen I recall having a fist fight or two, but as a teenager and young adult things drastically escalated. I began displaying violent actions towards my girlfriend, fighting and engaging in gun violence. Things eventually got out of hand after a street altercation lead to gun fire exchange and a close call of losing my life. Because of my irrational actions my mother received a death threat phone call on my behalf. She was furiously informed to let me know; that my head was going to be blown off the next time I was seen on the streets.
Selfish and immaturely, I retaliated. I made a few phone calls and went on the hunt with 4 car loads of friends, which resulted in an unrelenting bloody fight for several months. However, the lesson in this is that; our actions not only affect us, but our families and those most close to us as well. Truthfully, I wasn’t a bad kid. My mother raised me well, but consistent with the aforementioned information, violence sometimes has a way of finding you; and if your mindset is not right, you’ll respond just as I did. What I failed to realize is that violence is a temporary satisfaction, just another form of control and a way of always wanting to be right, but never wanting to be wrong, yet in the end; no one wins.
Presently, I am working very diligent as an Inspirational Speaker/Life Coach and Advocate against school and community violence. In doing so, my passion and mission is to reach, educate and inspire. Also, to touch the minds and strike the hearts of as many people as possible to “Stop the Violence.” The objective is to encourage a more positive and healthier life style to include mind, body and spirit through diverse practices, comprising of public/inspirational speaking, education/prevention, radio and television PSAs and even billboards. It’s going to take a village to take back and to save our communities from violent acts and crime, which confirms the importance of everyone, including kids, teenagers, young adults and adults of every race to get out and be a part of the solution.
Violence is a growing epidemic, therefore we must stay diligent and consistent with precise and firm determination in order to “Stop the Violence” and increase the peace in our communities.
