Occupy Our Corners w/ Reverend Al Sharpton

(highlights from today's article by Jessica Shiraz in the New York Observer)

 Last Friday night, huddled together at the corner of 111th street and 5th Avenue in Harlem, a circle of about thirty individuals held hands.

Reverend and anti-violence activist Vernon Williams told The Observer why he was supporting Occupy the Corners.“I know that people in this particular area say, why are you standing in that corner right there, and I say, because I know what goes down on this corner,” he declared. “When we leave here, like last week when we left here, there was a shooting. The week before that there was a fight. We know that our presence makes a difference.

“Unfortunately, I’ve done a hundred-plus funerals of young people in the community,” Mr. Williams added, his voice shaking with anger. “This is my nephew’s mother. Reggie Andrews---he was murdered right here, in front of his house on his birthday, and that’s why I’m on this corner.”

Reggie Andrews

A number of parents were present whose children had been killed in shootings. Nathan D. Allsbrooks’s mother and father set up a charity, the Nathan D. Allsbrooks Foundation, in memory of their son, whose life was cut short at fifteen. They were wearing T-shirts with a photograph of Nathan printed on them.

“My son was killed in 2008, just walking by. Someone senselessly came by and…” Cherise Smith trailed off, her eyes glistening with tears. “I see a lot of stuff on the news…

Nathan Allsbrooks

Nathan Allsbrooks

Reverend Al Sharpton & Jayson Williams

...It’s all in close proximity, you don’t know until it hits home, how horrific it can be. It ran on the news the whole week.”

Professional basketball player, Jayson Williams, who served an 18-month prison sentence for the manslaughter of Costas Christofi, offered a few words of comfort to Nathan’s father as he made a speech to the crowd.

“Dad, I can feel your pain, I’ve caused a lot of pain in my life and I’m here to try to make as much amends as I can,” Mr. Williams said softly. “I don’t pretend to have all the answers here, I’m still learning as I go, but I can assure you that I want to be a part of this, and anything I can do to reach the young people, and not-so-young people, to help stop the violence in our community, please call on me whenever.”

Basketball coach, Chez Williams, was present on behalf Taylonn Murphy, the father of Tayshana “Chicken” Murphy, who was murdered last September.

Tayshana "Chicken" Murphy

“She played basketball for me,” Mr. Williams explained. “Apparently, she was out late. Her brother got into a fight with another kid… and they came back after the fight to retaliate, and instead they shot Chicken, because she was outside. Chicken was eighteen. She had offers from all types of colleges.”

To read the entire article, click here.