7 Ways You Can Prevent Your Child From Being the Next Shooter

With mass shootings happening way too often and back to back in the case of the two most recent ones in El Paso and Dayton, it is obviously apparent to everyone but the people in power that something needs to be done about gun laws. But with the realization that many of the shooters are what the media likes to label “troubled” or “mentally ill” teens or young adults, the question should be posed as to whether or not there is anything parents can do to prevent their children from being the next shooter? The short answer to that question is yes. Although as we know some things are beyond the parents’ control, especially as their children grow older and make their own decisions; it’s still important that they try to make a positive impact on their kids while they still can.

Parents are more times than not the first people who will be able to notice a behavioral change in their children. It is important that when you do notice this, you take the necessary measures to get to the bottom of what has caused a shift in your child’s behavior. You can decide which steps work best for your children depending on their age. Here are some ways you can do that:

 

1. Monitor Your Child’s Social Media/Screen Time
Social Media is a big cause for depression among youth because it opens the door to internet trolls/internet bullying. It can also expose children to tons of online violent content. While some children may not be affected by this, others may be influenced to mimic what they see. So it is important for children to determine what is best for their child.

 

2. Keep Track of Your Child’s Relationships

Who’s around your child that could negatively affect their behavior and expose them to negative things? This could be friends, family friends, family members, etc. It’s also equally important for children who may not have many friends as well because this can be a sign that there may be things happening in school beyond your knowledge such as bullying that are causing them to have a hard time making friends.

 

3. Talk With Your Child

It might sound obvious, but some parents don’t take the time to do this. Ask them how their day was. Talk about serious issues with them. Ask them how they feel about all the mass shootings and other acts of violence they might see on the news. Obviously as they get older, some kids don’t want to share much with their parents, but don’t let that deter you. You should still ask questions and show interest because it is a sign you care. Children feeling neglected or not cared for can lead to further issues.

 

4. Work With Your Child on Self-Esteem

 If you see your child having issues with low self-esteem, it’s important to address it head on and work with them on loving themselves. A good way to do this with young children is through daily affirmations.

 

5. Watch Your Behavior

 Children often learn their behavior from their parents, so it’s important to limit the amount of violence you expose them to. Teach them to express themselves calmly and patiently through words instead of resorting to violence.

 

6. Discuss Gun Safety

Teach your kids about all the gun protocols, the dangers of them and how to stay safe. Also make sure if you have a gun in the house that it is completely out of reach of the kids. It is also a good idea that the gun is stored unloaded and locked separate from the ammunition.

 

7. Teach Your Children Acceptance of All

Because so many of the mass shootings fall under the category of hate crimes whether it’s against a certain race, religion or the LGBTQ community; it’s important that you talk to your children at an early age and teach them about the importance of accepting people for who they are.

 

Know of some more ways to help prevent gun violence? Let us know below.

Why is Hair a Major Factor of Discrimination?

By now many people have heard about Kerion Washington, a teen who was rejected by for a job at a Six Flags in Texas due to his dreadlocks. Many people have also heard about the wrestler in New Jersey who was forced to cut his dreadlocks by the referee. There are many more instances of discrimination based on hairstyles in work, school, etc. for both men and women, but just these topics alone bring up a important discussion of why we are still be discriminated against for our choice of hairstyle in 2019.

Last week California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the CROWN Act officially making California the first state to ban discrimination in workplaces and schools based on hairstyles. While this is a good step towards insuring that people are protected against facing the same discrimination that Washington had to face; the fact that a law had to be passed in the first place is absurd. And what about African Americans in the other 49 states facing these same issues? But a law isn’t going to change judgement blacks feel of the pressure to conform.

One study shows that one in five black women feel pressured to straighten their hair even if the workplace didn’t require it. One choosing to straighten their hair is a something they should do because they want to not because they feel they’ll be more accepted or more likely to land a job. The thing is even if workplaces or schools can’t legally discriminate against someone because of their hair, it doesn’t mean that blacks will automatically feel safe, comfortable or without judgement because it’s been programmed in their brain from a young age whether it was from their own community or from encounters outside of the community.

That same study shows that white women typically viewed natural hair as less attractive and less professional than straight hair. It seems the damage has been done for many, but if the CROWN Act teaches us anything it’s that we must reverse the damage and push forward. There is no room to allow discrimination and how others feel about our hair to allow us to not feel worthy and feel the need to conform. We have to wear our hair the best way that we see fit for our individual selves whether that’s straight, natural, curly, or in between. We owe it to ourselves to be our truth selves because that’s when the magic happens.

If you’re in doubt of that just look at 17-year-old Washington, he refused to cut his dreads for Six Flags and now he’s being scouted by a top modeling agency.

 

The Importance Of Juneteenth

“The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer.” 

-The Beginning of General Granger’s General Order Number 3

 

Why is it that African Americans celebrate The Fourth of July but not Juneteenth? Is it because The Fourth of July is the more known holiday? Is it because we get time off from work to celebrate? Is it because of lack of history of what Juneteenth means for our culture? Or is it a combination of all of the above?

 
On Saturday June 15,  A Work of Faith Ministries hosted its first annual celebration of Juneteenth sponsored by The Forrest E. Powell Foundation at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center in Evanston. The event was a success combined with music, food and most important of all: a discussion about the history that led us to Juneteenth and what we as a people must do to secure a better future for us and the next generation. The event included keynote speaker Baxter Swilley, presenter Fran Joy, presenter Hecky Powell and performers Tukkiman and Nyce Landry.

 
So what exactly is Juneteenth and why is this event so important? June 19, 1865 is known as the official day that slavery ended. On this day Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended in turn freeing the slaves. The news arrived a whole two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation meaning the slaves had actually been free all along, but didn’t know it.
So what caused the delay? There are several versions of why it took so long for Texas to become aware of the end of slavery. The first is that the messenger got murdered on his way to deliver the news. The second is that the information was withheld on purpose to keep work on the plantations. Another is that federal troops wanted to reap the benefit of the final cotton harvest.

 
“150,00 slaves were taken from Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana into Texas so that they could continue to have their slaves,” Juneteenth historian Baxter Swilley says.
Even with the end of slavery the now free slaves still faced some difficult tasks. For starters they had to decide whether to stay and work for their former masters for wages, try to locate their family members or look for more accommodating circumstances altogether. Not to mention the fact that many slave owners didn’t want to let their slaves go. When the legally freed slaves tried to leave many owners beat, lynched and murdered them for doing so.

 
Exactly a year later, the freed slaves got together to commemorate the celebration of their freedom in what we now know as Juneteenth.

 
“The people who were directly impacted by slavery were able to directly enjoy the fruits of the proclamation that came from General Granger,” Juneteenth historian Swilley says.
However, the celebrations didn’t come without problems. Segregation laws left them without a public place or a park to use for the celebration until the former slaves chipped in on $800 to purchase 10 acres of land, which would be known as “Emancipation Park”. “Emancipation Park” was the first public park and swimming pool available to African Americans until the 1950s.

 
Eventually, the hype around the Juneteenth celebrations died down until Martin Luther King Jr. brought it back to the forefront by purposely coinciding the date of the Poor People’s March with Juneteenth.

 
Today, Juneteenth is widely recognized by barbecuing, prayer services and self-education. Certain foods have also become associated with the holiday, particularly those associated with the color red such as red velvet cake, red beans and rice and strawberry soda.

 
In 2015, Hecky’s Barbeque owner Hecky Powell created the Juneteenth Strawberry Soda to honor his paternal great grandfather who was born into slavery. All of the proceeds from the soda go to his foundation, The Forrest E. Powell foundation, inspired by his late father who taught him the importance of “family, community and spirituality.” The foundation helps provide scholarships for young men and women to go to trade school.

 

After learning about Juneteenth Powell decided that it was important for him to acknowledge the sacrifices his family made in his own way.

 
“I said to myself with this foundation if my grandfather and my great grandfather and my dad if they can do all that they’ve done without government assistance whatsoever, I should be able to do better than that because I’ve got all kinds of opportunities,” Powell adds. “So I had to do something by creating this foundation in the name of my father. And then I had to do something even more special because this foundation wasn’t going to be like any other foundation asking for government handouts. I refuse to do that because of their legacy, so I had to figure out how to create funds.”

 
At the end of the day, what Powell talks about (looking to the community for help) is why the celebration of Juneteenth is so important because it isn’t just to dwell in the sorrows of our past but to acknowledge the sacrifices our ancestors have made for us to be where we our as well as the resilience they showed and to use that to fuel us to do better and be better. Are we still enslaved? Some may say so, but together through our own education, foundations, celebrations, etc. we can grow, but that will only work if we come together to help one another out.

 
Plan to celebrate Juneteenth this year? Tell us how.