A NEW YEAR A NEW START

The holiday's are behind us and the New Year is here. We have all been gathered with family and friends, opened many presents and given out just as many. But the unresolved issues of what's going on in Chicago is still before us as we move into 2016. As we all have seen in the news, there have been many protest over the shooting of Laquan McDonald and other video's that have surfaced involving the mistreatment and even killing of young black men by the Chicago Police Department.

It is very distrurbing to watch how these incidents have occurred through out our city. We all can agree that the police officers job is to serve and protect us. As a mother of a young black man, I too worry about how my son is treated when he has an encounter with any police officer. Going all the way back to slavery, as black people we have endured many horrific atrocities by the hands of other people. It is unfortunate that in 2016 we are still protesting over the same issues.

So what can we do? As black people, we can continue to recognize the many rivers we have successfully crossed to get to where we are today. Through our peaceful protest, we are showing despite the obstacles we still face, we can stick together and agree that what is being done to our young black men and other young men of color we will not tolorate the injustice. I am so proud of our young people. They have come together and formed a kinship of the same mindset to seek justice for the things that have plagued our communities.

As a Life Skills and Anger Management Specialist, I know that anger does not just stem from today's events. These are issues that go back before any of us were born. The way they are displaying their distrust and dissatisfaction of what's happening in Chicago is the right way to go. I am very happy to see that they have not turned their Anger in to rage and destroyed their own or other communities. They have decided to put their face in the place where it can be seen and their voices heard. To my young people and those of us who stand with you, continue to make your voices heard and show the world that we may have come from a generation of slaves and injustice, but before we were slaves we were KINGS AND QUEENS.

ROMANS 8:31 "WHAT SHALL WE THEN SAY TO THESE THINGS? IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?