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THIS MONTH, I WANT TO FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

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For the past three years, gun violence has been steadily increasing in a lot or urban areas.  Watching the news has become quite depressing.   Children have become victims of senseless gun violence in more ways than one.  They either become motherless, fatherless, or innocently killed.  During the Covid-19 pandemic, gun violence has unfortunately become an epidemic.  In 2022, in the City of Philadelphia, well over 300 people have been killed by gun violence.  Most of the perpetrators have not been identified or arrested.  Therefore, it gives him/her the opportunity to kill again.

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A lot of people are focused on changing gun laws, while people who mandate gun laws are focused on the mental health of the people shooting guns.  The focus should be on both; the people using guns to kill people as well as the gun laws, and how easily accessible guns are to purchase whether it's done legally or illegally.  There should be a doctor provided medical psychological evaluation required as a part of the application process for anyone who would like to purchase a firearm.  There should also be a requirement to be reassessed annually to make sure that people are still in the right state of mind (mentally well). 

 

It is disheartening to see what the world has become.  Families torn apart, mothers and fathers burying their children, the youth's disrespectfulness to elders, the absence of good parenting, the drug abuse, the impact on underserved communities, the lack of access to quality education, the job skills gap, and limited good paying job opportunities available to minorities, abandoned and neglected properties in urban communities, the trash filled and uneven paved streets, the rise of car theft, rape, missing and exploited children, domestic violence, child abuse, the rise of mall, movie theatre, schools, and night club shootings,   What happened to us?  Why are we so angry?  What can a person do to you to make you never want to see them again, so you kill them?  What can make you kill innocent people? What happened to our conscience?  We have to heal from whatever causes these types of inappropriate behaviors.

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There are organizations out here, ready and willing to help people heal from traumas, reduce senseless gun violence, and clean up neighborhoods.  We cannot be successful by ourself.  My nonprofit, Love Exquisite Arts and Recreation Nonprofit Center (L.E.A.R.N.) is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides access to educational programs, activities, and workshops to underserved communities in an effort to reduce senseless gun violence.  We are open to partnering with mission aligned organizations who truly want to work together to help reduce senseless gun violence in Philadelphia, PA.  I have reached out to several different organizations with the mission of ending gun violence and have not heard back from any of them.  This mission is too large for one organization to handle alone, so if you or your organization are interested in partnering with the L.E.A.R.N. Center, please send an email to LearnNpc1@gmail.com and let's work together.  Let's not just talk about what needs to be done, let's do the work that needs to be done, so that we can be apart of the solution.  If you want to serve on our Board or become a L.E.A.R.N. volunteer, please send us an email.

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We have to save our children.  We have to save ourselves.  The black community is impacted tremendously by gun violence and we cannot wait for others to rescue us from ourselves.  Most crimes in non-urban areas are solved and perpetrators are caught and put in jail, and that is not always the same outcome in urban areas.  I don't know if that is because of the lack of care or value on black lives.  But, what I do know is that we have to get the help that we need to heal, so that we can be and do better.  We have to love ourselves, we have to educate ourselves, we have to love each other, we have to heal.  Identify what causes your behavior and get the necessary help that you need to change your mindset.  When you kill one of us, it kills all of us.  It also kills our ancestors who fought and died for our freedom and for us to live a much better life. It absolutely tears my heart a part, to hear about another senseless death as a result of gun violence and to hear that the shooters are getting younger and younger.  It is so sad that our youth are losing sight of having a brighter future.

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I pray for my family and I pray for the families who lost loved ones due to senseless gun violence.  I also pray for the families of the perpetrators who commit the crimes.  Help your loved one, get the help that they need.  We want to live.  We want to watch our children grow up into adulthood.  Show your children that you love and care about them enough to get them the help that they need to be and do better.  I pray for Philadelphia, PA.  Organizations like the L.E.A.R.N. Center want to help you.  We need the support to be able to continue to do so.  We need sponsors, donors, and grant funders, so that we can continue offering educational programs, workshops, and activities.    All donations are tax deductible.  To learn more about the L.E.A.R.N. Center visit www.LearnNpc.org.  Thank you to the Black Community Leaders Fund through The Philadelphia Foundation for their generous donation to help us cover operational expenses!

 

We have to save our City. We have to save our children. If you or someone you know need help to heal from traumas, please refer them to seek help.  Below are some resources.  Please Heal.  Don't suffer in silence.  Your mental health and wellness are important to helping to end senseless violence. Stop the Violence.  Change Gun Laws.  Change Your Mindset.

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Resources:

Family and Relationship Counseling
https://www.cfarcounseling.org/

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Drug Addiction and Mental Health Counseling
https://recoverycentersofamerica.com/

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Loss and Grief Counseling

https://www.phila.gov/services/mental-physical-health/get-bereavement-support/

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Sexual Abuse Counseling

https://www.rainn.org/

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Child Abuse Counseling

https://www.woar.org

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Anxiety, Suicide and Depression Counseling

https://www.havenphiladelphia.com/

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Mental Health Counseling

https://namiphilly.org/

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By Lynnette Clement