Planting A Legacy for Za’layia
Episode #079
“Each year we want [the garden] just to grow, and grow and grow.... Her little body can’t grow anymore so this is her body, and I want people to realize that. This is her...
“I know technically we couch the work that youth workers do as youth development but I call it purpose finding work in terms of helping people understand who they are, where they’ve come from, and the fact that the world that they were born into doesn’t have to be the world that they die in.”
When a nine year old girl gets shot in the head while watching TV, where do we look for answers? Do we expect the city government to offer solutions? Some people might not know that the City of Milwaukee has an Office of Violence Prevention or that they’re filling two new positions focused on engaging youth. Reggie Moore is the new Director of this Office... He says “we don't need any more wake up calls. We need answers.” But that the answers lie within the community, and it’s his job to help make them visible.
Reggie Moore welcomes community feedback and invites neighbors to contact the Office of Violence Prevention (414-286-8553) for more information, comments, and questions.
CREDIT: Rick Wood | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
CAPTION: Reggie Moore was among the city leaders who spoke out at a news conference following the shooting of a 9-year-old girl on May 5. Officials urged anyone with information to come forward to police and called on all community members to get involved with youthserving agencies.
