Violence in Our Communities: Message from the Executive Director

In major metropolitan cities, urban communities across the country, inner-city students are being murdered in alarming numbers. As we watch the nightly news and hear about our wars, the economy, and health care, the murders of young people seem to become just statistics. But they are casualties taking place right in our own backyards.

In late August when I visited one of our schools to start recruitment discussions, I entered a somber campus and learned that the school community was mourning the death of one of its students who had just been murdered. Three weeks later, another one of our schools, Oakland Tech, lost a young person; she was murdered on Labor Day. This second senseless death hit even closer to home: she was in SRO's training program last season.

For the last few weeks, I sat to write about this deeply troublesome issue. Out of respect for the families and their privacy, I first decided that perhaps I should not write anything. But as each day progressed, I have become more compelled to voice the sheer anger and sadness I feel with what is going on. All too often when there is tragedy in our communities, it is followed by outrage and the feeling to do something; but as time moves on and the cameras or reporters are gone, the outcry and rallying to act dissipates. I often wonder what then happens to all of the emotions. If we only react during crisis, I am not sure how we will ever prevent them from occurring.

Many of the young people that we serve in SRO have experienced the loss of a friend or classmate by senseless acts of murder. Probably what is most troubling is that they are experiencing these atrocities as part of the realities of life. But we cannot allow ourselves and our youth to accept this as a truth. While I can't figure out how to stop or change it, what I have come to understand is that we must continue to keep a focus on each tragedy. Only by keeping these tragedies in the spotlight will there ever be change. I think more and more of us are realizing this. I applaud Sheilagh Andujar, the principal at Oakland Tech who established a task force of concerned parents, teachers, and citizens to come together to collectively change our young people's realities. I have pledged my support to Sheilagh to be an active member of this effort. I also encourage members of SRO to get involved.

Until we make ending the violence a top priority, more of our students will continue to lose their lives. We are all desperately needed in this fight. Those of you who want to get involved to make a difference, let me hear from you.

- Spencer Hooper, Executive Director

We are meeting here to put an end to this cycle [of violence], to put things back in order and to put the wheel of peace on the right track. The task is very great, but our hopes are greater.
- Hosni Mubarak