Some people called his idea stupid, even venal. Then Yusuf Shah arrived at a public hearing to see what members of the public like Karen Christian thought — and heard his idea called “brilliant.”
Christian (pictured with her son, Faybian Plummer) showed up at City Hall Tuesday night to a Board of Aldermen Human Services Committee hearing to weigh in on Shah’s controversial proposal to build a memorial on the Green to young people killed by violence.
The committee didn’t approve Shah’s proposal in its original form. But after the hearing it voted unanimously to pursue it in a different form — to form a committee to study how to raise private funds, and to find a location other than the Green.
And all the speakers from the public praised the West River alderman’s idea of paying tribute to the growing number of young men lost to gun battles on New Haven streets. The number of murders rose from 13 to 22 last year.
It was a contrast to the outpouring of attacks Shah’s proposal received from readers after the Independent first wrote about it. They called it a waste of money, a crazy idea, or a tribute to many people who are out shooting people. One of the critics more sympathetic to Shah personally wrote, “Shah’s idea is laudable and partially right — but victims, not perps deserve to be remembered. The problem is sometimes, the victims, were also perps which is why they got whacked by a competitor. How do you distinguish?” (Read the comments thread here.)
Shah (pictured) responded to that thread and again when he addressed the committee Tuesday night. He told the committee he wanted to remember those who have died and to hopefully deter future killings.
In December, the City Plan Commission issued an advisory report noting that the Proprietors of the Green have turned down earlier requests to put various monuments on the Green. The Commission pitched the planting of trees rather than a bricks-and-mortar type monument as a more appropriate — and doable — way to commemorate the dead. The report pointed out that Shah’s proposal lacked funding.
In his testimony Tuesday night, Shah said he was glad his proposal had stirred debate, but upset at the way some residents have depicted urban youths who are perpetrators and/or victims of violence. He said he’d be happy to consider other ideas for the memorial, such as a quilt that could be displayed.
Westville Alderman Sergio Rodriguez spoke about a traveling memorial of murdered youth from Little Rock, Arkansas, that was used as a teaching tool about gang violence. “We need to be able to teach tolerance and provide an anti-violence message” in addition to memorializing the slain youths, he said.
Charlie Pillsbury (pictured), executive director of Community Mediation, testified that he’d spent the past 20 years trying to reduce youth violence. In 2007 he spent Fridays in front of Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro’s office reading the names of the 25 Connecticut residents who had died in the first three years of the war in Iraq, along with the names of 24 New Haveners killed in just the previous year — half of them under 25 years of age.
“In addition to a granite slab or that traveling memorial,” he said, “I think there needs to be some way to memorialize these young people — something that includes their picture, not just their name; something that includes their story, short as it may be. It may be something that excerpts can be taken to schools. It may be something that’s archived at the New Haven Historical Society.”
He also mentioned the possibility of a local version of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission that gave “the victims and their families an opportunity to tell their stories, maybe even confront their perpetrators.” Pillsbury volunteered to work on any committee set up to explore ideas.
Next up was Sheldon Tucker (pictured). “Personally, I think the Green is an excellent location,” he said. “I know the Proprietors have denied many proposals to put memorials there, but I think it’s worth a shot. It’s the heart of New Haven, where a lot of our youth pass daily.
“I know it may be in the wishes of some in City Hall to downplay the violence that goes on here. They don’t want tourists coming here and constantly be reminded of things that go on in this city.”
People who died should be remembered, said Tucker, a criminal justice reform activist. “It’s also reminding the youth of how serious this issue is in this city, reminding them they’re part of a vicious cycle that they need to get out of. I think it may serve as a deterrent, even more than being threatened with a long jail sentence. Kids don’t listen to those things; nobody thinks they’re going to get caught.” Tucker said he couldn’t remember how many funerals he’d been to for murdered friends, including two in one day in 2006.
Tucker — who said he’d served time in prison as a teen for assault after shooting someone — said it’s sometimes hard to draw the line between victims and perpetrators, as many young people fall into both categories. But some of them can be redeemed, Tucker said. “We need to show we care about these kids and we have to keep it in people’s faces to remind them. This is our black holocaust, what’s going on with our kids. The ideology and the ideas may be different, but our kids are dying out there.”
Last to testify was Karen Christian, a single working mother of three kids who lives in the Hill.
“I live in fear that so many things is happening,” she said. “I don’t have a relative that died, but every time I open the paper, it breaks my heart. These children are somebody’s child. As the community we are looking to leaders for help. A lot of these children are lost with no sense of belonging; they’re a victim of their own circumstances. I agree with the memorial on the Green. My kids’ future lies in the community’s hands; I fear for their lives not knowing what’s going to happen.”
Fair Haven Alderman Joey Rodriguez, after discussion with Shah, proposed a substitute amendment to set up a committee within 30 days to deal with the specifics of the issue. The committee members present — chair Charles Blango, S. Rodriguez, J. Rodriguez, Allan Brison and Katrina Jones — voted unanimously in favor.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who attended the Human services committee meeting in support of youth violence victim's memorial. The next step is to form a committee of community members.
Please contact me as soon as possible if you are interested in serving on this committee. Please email me at [email protected]. Please include your email address and best times to meet in the community. Our charge is to find an alternate location, possible donors and or funding, and other specifics.