CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Hundreds of lights lit up the night to remember those who lost their lives to gun violence and trauma last year.
The group Resilience Over Our Trauma, also known as ROOTs, hosts this event annually to unite the neighborhood.
The bags filled with sand and a candle not only lit up the night, they were also a metaphor for Jue Amman’s life. She is a ROOTs ambassador and said this is a healing session for people affected by gun violence or any other type of trauma.
“I’m a gunshot survivor. I was shot seven times in 2005. So it’s very personal to me to make sure that others are heard and seen and told that they matter. They know that their stories matter,” Amman said.
She said many families and survivors do not receive justice, and she was only able to achieve it by not becoming the person who traumatized her.
“I want to continue to remain sensitive and not become desensitized, because the more aware we remain, the more it helps us to be people of character, to lead with character and to want to change and improve our communities,” Amman said.
About a hundred lights line the block. ROOTs encouraged people to take one and spread their light.
“It’s senseless that a mother has to get up, our father gets a call to tell them their child is dead. That’s not even natural,” said ROOTs ambassador Tina Brown.
Brown had her grandson Kejuan with her for the interview. She includes him in every conversation so that he grows up realizing that violence is not a solution.
“You see kids online from ages five to 13 with guns, yelling at their parents, shooting, talking about things they shouldn’t know at that age. And that’s what these candles kind of represent. That’s what happens when it goes too far and they lose track and then they’re gone,” said Kejuan Briggs, ambassador for Jr. ROOTs.
ROOTs is working to expand its presence among young people through its Junior Ambassador program. Until then, members will continue to serve as mentors to high school students.
