It was around 7:30 pm Sunday night March 24, 2024 in Harlem a crispy cold night. This is Palm Sunday for those who observe this festival where Jesus was entering Jerusalem and the people were waving Palm branches at him this is a reminder for Christians to welcome Jesus into their hearts and be willing to follow him. Muslims are practicing ramadan the holy month dedicated to prayer, spiritual reflections and generosity giving to neighbors or meaningful causes. Fasting during daylight hours gives a person discipline. Two friends were catching up having a conversations on 128 street and Lexington avenue normal human beings living life. They were probably planning their Easter Sunday, what they going to watch when they get home and maybe eat some food. A loud noise and another one and another at least were heard and the two friends Harry Mendoza 25, Ashley Ballard 18, were shot in the head and back for Ashley. We as a community pray that their souls be blessed and have peace. Most people who hear and read about this tragic incident ask WHY???This is so tragic it’s This senseless gun violence the act of using a gun to cause harm without using good sense is ripping our communities across the world apart. Our community is under attack by several systems that place our residents in a mind state of hopelessness, depression, anxiety and anger. Mental health treatment is vital to a healthy community. Our community is suffering from residents who need mental health services and treatment. Our community is suffering because of lack of SELF LOVE, SELF confidence and the ability to control your emotion. Emotional intelligence goes hand in hand with Mental Health. Mental health is how you feel about yourself and others. How you respond to people online or in person. How you approach situations, conflicts and feelings. I love my community I was born and raised in this community. I remember when A.K. Houses and 1775 wasn’t built it was empty space level out a field. We could walk across from 126 to 128 and vice versa. Alice Kornegay vision for the Community Association Of East Harlem Triangle was to make the community residential not commercial. The non profit was created in 1965 to take on the city government and plan their own community renewal development programs. Salute to the community for being brave, smart and resilient to get things done. I personally benefited from it and so many other community residents did as well. Our community needs our help, support and creativity to move forward. Manhattan borough president Mark Levin, community board 11, 25 precinct community affairs, chaplain Robert Rice, Exodus transitional community, Release the Grip (RTG) Bronx connect and residents stood on 125 Lexington and held a Community Prayer for healing! The rain and bad weather did not stop them from making emergency and necessary changes to accommodate the community. I Thank them and everyone involved with putting this together quickly. Public Safety is #1 on the list and Mental Health Services is needed ASAP. I am a proud supporter/ advocate and patient of Mental Health Services. I was introduced to Mental Health Services when I started working as an Outreach Worker for Save Our Streets in Crown Heights 2013. A special shout out to Center for Court Innovation and the crisis management system and Cure Violence for the many wonderful programs and staff they have. I am truly blessed to have worked alongside such talented individuals. Chat and Smoke will like to thank you for reading, commenting, supporting and getting involved with this community. I speak and listen with Dignity# I will speak with without being offensive. I will listen without being defensive. I will always allow my opponent to leave with their dignity.
