STOP THE VIOLENCE?

So yesterday for the first time in my LIFE, I participated in a "STOP THE VIOLENCE WALK". I made sure I was there promptly at 9am, I was wearing my Blossoms t-shirt where I empower young women, and it started raining. When it began to rain, all I could think about was flashbacks of black activist, civil rights movement, walking and marching in the rain to fight against discrimination, and equal rights. Looking at the people who showed up today said we can do whatever we want to do. Seeing our people come out to support a very serious cause in our communities said we care so much that rain isn't going to stop us. Then the high school band came along and watching them march in rain gave me so much inspiration. The fact that young folk younger than me was out there, just touched me. We walked and then we ended at the local community YMCA. Inside we sat, and I was honored to hear personal testimonies of loved ones being killed due to violence. Others came up to motivate, to solve, and to uplift all that was there. Men and women who want to see violence stop in our community. Some stood up and said "its all of our responsibilities", and some said "its the fathers". Another person said "we have to change our mentality, its all about how we think". A young lady said "we have to show them love, because no one is telling our men how much we love them". One person really hit it on the nose when they mentioned "WOMEN". Now understand this person wasn't blaming us for the violence. He was simply saying don't forget about our women, they are apart of this just as much as the men are. Everyone had a solution to how we can stop the violence. Whether it be "changing our mindset", "showing love", "being accountable and responsible". We as "women", as a "culture", as the "power house", as "the ones who makes the world go round". We as women who "birth" and "raise" our children, and "others children". Understanding our capabilities, and recognizing our gifts as women says we can do all things through Christ that strengthen us. We do have to change the way we think. We do have to be responsible and accountable. We do have to not only tell our men we love them, but show them we love them by teaching what love mean. There are many of us who simply just don't know what love mean, or what responsibility, accountability, or even legacy mean. We just don't. However, we have the power to ask. We have the power to learn. We have the power to teach. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with our young girls at a crucial age of 9-12 years old. I am grateful to introduce a new way of thinking, and teach them what love means, instead of just saying I love you. I am grateful to teach them how, instead of just telling them what they can do, when they don't know how to. We as "WOMEN" simply do the best we know how, and we pass that on to our children, not realizing that we're lacking in some areas, simply because we don't know. I am blessed an honored to have an opportunity like this. When you empower a man, you empower one person. When you empower women, you empower a nation. Think about it.