Harrisburg residents gathered in Allison Hill Saturday to give a voice to two major issues abruptly taking away their loved ones — gun violence and the coronavirus.
Although the two causes of death seem vastly different, the impact they’ve had on the Harrisburg area is similar, advocates said at an event held in the afternoon in a gated yard on the 300 block of South 13th Street.
On one side stood a tall, wooden memorial wall where members of the community could display photos of friends and family they’d lost.
Gun violence couldn’t hit closer to home for Jowana Washington, who lost her 20-year-old son Jawan in 2018 when he was hit by stray bullets outside Double D’s bar. His shooter was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
“It’s hard but I have to stay strong for my other son. That’s all you can do,” Washington said. “It’s hard to be happy.”
Washington was one of many who came to speak out against violence in the city.
Tone Cook started the non-profit “Michael’s Memory” last year to remember his brother, who was accidentally shot and killed by a friend in 1997 just before his 16th birthday.
The organization doesn’t just focus on gun violence, however. Cook and his supporters donate food to the homeless, host city clean-ups and provide programming for children.
“I figure this is a part of me healing, to do things that [Michael] liked to do for others — make people laugh, make people smile,” Cook said.
Antwain Jackson, 18, sees the potential in the Harrisburg community and wants to be a part of creating positive change. This event was a personal one for him and his girlfriend — both of their fathers died in shootings.
“Our loved ones are in a better place, doing better things,” Jackson said. “We gotta remember the ones we lost. We gotta show our support to the community, we gotta give back. The main reason why we’re here — everyone we love, we keep their streak alive.”
Lisa Gibson lost her grandson — 14-year-old Tyrone Gibson — in what authorities said was an accidental shooting the day after Memorial Day. A nephew was shot and killed last year, she said.
A friend of Tyrone Gibson’s was charged with involuntary manslaughter for his death.
Lisa Gibson expressed anger and sadness over what happened, but she she wanted to be there Saturday to prevent the same from happening to other children.
“It’s important we’re here today, because even though our kids are gone, they’ll be in our hearts always,” she said.
Finding resolutions to these issues requires teamwork between people of different backgrounds, according to Shymar McBride, the organizer of Saturday’s event.
“We’re just trying to bring our community together as one,” McBride said. “Black, white, doesn’t matter. We all gotta work together as a team. It’s not about race, it’s about our community.”
Also in attendance Saturday were the Swatara Township Police Department and All You Can Inc., a non-profit which provides emergency resources to families in the Harrisburg area. They handed out free school supplies and clothing.
Cook said he plans to continue pushing the city forward in whatever way possible. He has a new counseling program in the works for local women who may suffer from depression or drug abuse. and don’t have positive female role models in their lives.
He said events like Saturday’s show young people there are ways of life that don’t include weapons or drugs.
“Somewhere in life we all touch each other,” Cook said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
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