By Kristen Hernandez
Local and state government officials, community leaders, residents, and high school students to have an open and frank conversation regarding the wave of gun violence that has washed over the city. Brave young adults asked difficult questions and helped to offer real, actionable solutions to the growing problem. Pompano Beach Mayor Rex Harding, District 4 Commissioner Beverly Perkins, and Broward County Mayor Lamar Fisher attended.
Chair for the Gun Violence Forum Committee, Kimberley Washington, opened the discussion. “Today’s occasion is to talk about gun violence as a community and to understand our role.”
Mick Desrameaux, licensed mental health counselor, noted that in 2018, there were 223 firearm related deaths in Broward County. “As someone who works with hundreds of youths exposed to gun violence, I’m asking all Pompano Beach officials to join together to tackle this issue,” Desrameaux said. “Our studies show that one in eight kids aged 14 to 17 reported having witnessed a shooting. Witnessing gun violence causes an increase in mental health issues in our youth, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD and disruptive behavior in school. This affects every community across the nation.”
Reckless gun owners are fueling the illegal gun trade that powers violent crime. Gun locks were given out during the forum by the League of Women Voters of Broward County. The Lock It Up Program is giving away 25,000 gunlocks, free of charge.
“A gun is stolen every 90 seconds,” said Barbara Markley, co-chair of the Gun Safety Committee. “Eight out of 10 school shooters accessed their guns from home. Lock up your guns.” To request a free gun lock, email gunsafety@lwvbroward.org.
A group of mothers who’ve lost children due to gun violence shared their stories. All their cases have gone cold. Oneshi Blue is one of those mothers.
Brian Bernard “BJ” Wallace Jr was shot and killed on Valentine’s Day in 2019. Blue was celebrating her husband’s birthday and wedding anniversary, so she allowed BJ to head to Apollo Park to play some cards with his friends. As an aspiring electrician, BJ was about to begin a new job at a Broward County school and was excited to start a new chapter.
On the night of February 14, BJ left home and never returned. During the card game, a couple of men approached the teens and demanded the game money. They opened fire as the friends scattered about the park, using shatter point bullets to cause maximum damage. BJ was shot in the back. He died the next day. His case is unsolved.
“If we’re honest with ourselves, we know where the violence is at. Some of us know it’s in our own family,” said Mikelange Olbel, CEO of Community Based Connections. “It’s always a problem when it’s at your front door. But when it’s not at your front door, you don’t have anything to say. If we love our neighbors, then we ought to be doing the right thing. You might say, ‘But Mike, there’s a no snitching policy, but I guess it applies when it’s not your family. Today, the no snitching policy must die, so your daughter, son, nieces, and nephews can live.”
Broward County Public Defender Gordon Weeks quoted the second amendment. “’A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.’ Put in context, it means the government should regulate those that have access to those guns.”
Weeks mentioned that Governor Ron DeSantis has talked about wanting citizens to carry guns without a permit, without safety training and without background checks. “Reach out to your local politicians. Your voice can make a difference if you vote. We must be active in the political process if you really want to tackle this gun issue… Every single person can be an ambassador to fight gun violence,” Weeks said. “We need to continue to praise these young people and lift them up. They are the future change makers.”
Voter suppression tactics have been around for decades but gone are the times of the jellybean jar. “The jellybean jar was a test black folks had to pass by guessing the amount jellybeans and if you guessed correctly, you could vote,” said Kevin Eason, former District 4 city commission candidate. “We cannot go backwards. I urge you to read and vote for the entire ballot. Be an educated voter.”
Gun violence is on the rise and parents must take an active role in educating their children on the scope of these issues. “It all starts at home,” said Eason. “I give my kids a safe zone every Friday night where the kids can say whatever they want on any topic. The only rule is that I cannot get mad. If you’re not creating a safe space, you become part of the issue. If your kids aren’t talking to you, they’re talking to someone else and who knows what kind of advice they’re getting. And please, monitor their social media accounts. Friend them and be involved.”
