We must admit, given the outcome of the “Lawrence Matters” meeting held last Sunday, April 2, organized by Councilors at-Large Modesto Maldonado and Brian De Peña, that we were wrong in some ways.
First, we thought it would be one more vigil, where we would hear several pastors declare that from that moment on, we will not allow more violence. We were right to think that way.
For 20 years we have covered vigils and marches for peace, with the same results. We light candles and/or raise balloons as we name the victims during the year. The following year we commemorate the same dates, with the difference that the names are different.
It’s sad, it’s deplorable, but the truth is that nobody seems to have the solution. We are living or rather, surviving in a world of violence that has no end.
Then “Lawrence Matters” came along. Although given the attendance there are many people who do not care for Lawrence, those who were there do!
In the first place it was not a vigil, or a political act. Although there were some relatives of the last two, tragic losses of life, they were there to remind us that it is time for the whole city to do something and put an end to this bloodshed.
But the greatest thing happened at the end of the event when a group of young people accompanied Isabella Saldarriaga and Nelselly Alsina in reading their documents assuring us that very soon our city will change for the better.
“Every day there are more young people and adults that want to do a positive change. Every day there are more young people who want to go ahead with their futures, studying and going to universities, starting companies, creating organizations, and much more.
We will soon demonstrate to the world, and not just to our neighboring communities, who we are. We will show them that we are good people with goals, and more importantly we are a united community with desires to keep going.”
Coming from the youth, this fills us with hope!
