By Russell Clark | January 23, 2021 at 4:31 PM EST – Updated January 23 at 6:28 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) -The call to action to stop the spread of gun violence in Black communities is something we’ve been hearing about a lot lately, around the country, and right here in Wilmington.
“There was a breakdown somewhere in the generations where the ‘it takes a village’ concept went away and personally once that was take away, I feel like that’s where everything started going south,” said Yolanda Bostic, Organizer of “Stop the Violence Rally.”
It used to be, you could count on your neighbors, coaches, teachers, and other community leaders to watch over your kids and now, Bostic says that’s just not the case anymore. She says the breakdown of families and communities has left children to raise themselves and has led some down the wrong road.
“There are people out here who care about them and want to touch base with them and talk with them and teach them there is a better way of life because at the end of the day, I believe this is the only way to stop this thing,” says Bostic.
Wilmington saw 22 homicides in 2020 and Bostic and her colleagues are calling on city leaders to do more to help the Black community.
Another organizer of the rally, Traction Flood’s son was shot last July but fortunately, he survived.
“To those who are picking up the guns or encouraging those to go out and kill, you got three seconds before you pull the trigger and I hope you see my face before you pull the trigger,” Flood said.
Both Bostic and Flood say they believe we have big city issues and while we have wonderful local non-profits addressing some of them, they wish city leaders took more interest in learning about the issues the Black community faces right here in Wilmington.
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