August 9th, 2014
Freedom Arts had a truly awesome day yesterday. It was our third annual Freedom Arts Expo and was a reminder that our efforts are effective and our mission is still pure. We had a great time with our scholars and plenty of guests. I had fellow performing and teaching artists come out to volunteer their time and talents. My team came together as always and put on an incredible event.
Then, to read the tragic news about Michael Brown being shot until he was a dead by a police officer in Ferguson was sobering. I don't feel like I have any words of wisdom or even encouragement about this tragedy because I'm so lost on it. This young man is dead. He was shot and killed while running away. This event has and will impact innumerable lives. But his life is over, and his family’s life is forever altered in a way that can never be reconciled.
While I was having a great time with a group of kids from the north-west part of St. Louis I’ve come to know and love, a young man that was only 10 years older than the average age of our scholars was murdered about 10 miles north of us. I love all the scholars of Freedom Arts. I love all of the kids with whom we work. I love all of the kids I work with outside of Freedom Arts. I will keep on working hard to positively impact my community, to empower and educate the youth of St. Louis, and to spread love, respect, and truth.
I understand what people mean when they say "I Am Michael Brown." I get it. It's true. It's powerful.
The rumors are already circulating and the political agendas are already settling in. To some extent, change is part of politics, but too many people take tragedy and make it their clay to mold a jar to hold their own agenda. No thanks. A kid is dead. I don't care about your politics.
The Lord is my shepherd.
St. Louis is my city. There are riots happening in my city right now.
I’ll share with you what I plan to share with my students: acknowledge and accept your own anger and fear. Channel those emotions into constructive acts, such as showing more love, praying, creating, and taking refuge in your loved ones and in God. Ignore the rumors and push past the political agendas. And act justly, no matter what.
Consider if it was one of your own lying dead in that street.
Consider if it was one of your own who pulled that trigger.
For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers of the affliction we experienced...For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
(2 Corinthians 1:8-11)
Then, to read the tragic news about Michael Brown being shot until he was a dead by a police officer in Ferguson was sobering. I don't feel like I have any words of wisdom or even encouragement about this tragedy because I'm so lost on it. This young man is dead. He was shot and killed while running away. This event has and will impact innumerable lives. But his life is over, and his family’s life is forever altered in a way that can never be reconciled.
While I was having a great time with a group of kids from the north-west part of St. Louis I’ve come to know and love, a young man that was only 10 years older than the average age of our scholars was murdered about 10 miles north of us. I love all the scholars of Freedom Arts. I love all of the kids with whom we work. I love all of the kids I work with outside of Freedom Arts. I will keep on working hard to positively impact my community, to empower and educate the youth of St. Louis, and to spread love, respect, and truth.
I understand what people mean when they say "I Am Michael Brown." I get it. It's true. It's powerful.
The rumors are already circulating and the political agendas are already settling in. To some extent, change is part of politics, but too many people take tragedy and make it their clay to mold a jar to hold their own agenda. No thanks. A kid is dead. I don't care about your politics.
The Lord is my shepherd.
St. Louis is my city. There are riots happening in my city right now.
I’ll share with you what I plan to share with my students: acknowledge and accept your own anger and fear. Channel those emotions into constructive acts, such as showing more love, praying, creating, and taking refuge in your loved ones and in God. Ignore the rumors and push past the political agendas. And act justly, no matter what.
Consider if it was one of your own lying dead in that street.
Consider if it was one of your own who pulled that trigger.
For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers of the affliction we experienced...For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
(2 Corinthians 1:8-11)