3 days Ago
Editor’s note: In February, the Tulsa World is sharing a series of thoughts from Black Tulsans about the future of Tulsa and what role they are playing to make it happen. My journey has been shaped by the north Tulsa community that raised me. From my frequent visits to Gibbs shopping center, Sunday mornings at the historic Vernon A.
M.E., to attending Hawthorne, Carver and Booker T.
, to eventually leaving during my time in the Peace Corps, each step of my journey was a part of a larger mission to return home. I returned to serve the very community that nurtured me, though I’ll admit, I resisted at first. Returning home to north Tulsa isn't just about coming back to where I grew up.
It's about making sure that the future we build here is one where every child and every family has the support and resources to thrive, free from the cycles of violence and trauma that have too often shaped our histories. People are also reading..
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Communities of color, particularly Black communities, are disproportionately affected by this violence, and it has left a lasting impact on the way we approach issues of safety, support and justice. The future I am working toward is one where the scars of the past no longer determine our trajectory — where preventable deaths due to domestic violence are no longer a reality, and where communities are empowered to break the cycle of violence. A future where survivors of domestic violence receive the support they need to heal, where our children grow up in environments that foster safety, love and opportunity.
A future where intergenerational cycles of violence are eradicated. We are building communities where resources for mental health, substance abuse and education are accessible and where we can break the silence that perpetuates these cycles. We are working toward a future where Tulsa becomes a place of hope, resilience and healing — a place where the trauma of violence no longer defines us, and where we can create a better world for our children and generations to come.
The collected series: go.tulsaworld.com/tulsafuture.
