Maya McFadden Photo
Britton “Braggin Rights” Braggs noticed Darnell, 14, and James, 11, sitting on their bikes in front of Winchester Avenue’s B&K Grocery.
“You heard about these people getting hurt out here with guns?” the Newhallville-raised rapper asked the boys. They nodded. “We’re walking because we want kids like you guys to be safe,” Braggs said.
Bragg, 29, was walking Newhallville Monday night along with dozens of other adults issuing a call to stop the violence.
After running into the store for an Arizona to share, Darnell and James joined a crowd of walkers on their bikes, mostly sticking by Braggin Rights’ side. And the quest continued to spark a community response to the rise in gun violence on New Haven streets.
“I know what it’s like. Sometimes these kids just need someone to talk to,” Braggin Rights said.
“We came because we want the killing and violence to stop,” said Darnell.
“Black lives matter. We shouldn’t be killing each other,” said James.
The gathering began around 6 p.m. at Bassett Street Park. Former Alder Carlton Staggers (pictured) issued a call to parents and residents of Newhallville to come together to figure out a strategy for addressing the spike of sometimes deadly shootings in town over the past month.
Fifty people responded to Staggers’ call.
Staggers came with no script or agenda for the rally besides talking with adults about how to engage the youth.
“We don’t want the police or mayor involved. This has to be a message coming from the people, our kids need us,” Staggers said.
In the span of a month, Staggers said, he has held two crying mothers in his arms causing him to be fed up. Staggers’ cousin was 19-year-old Kiana Brown. He used to coach 22-year-old Kaymar Tanner in basketball.
Staggers also has five kids of his own for whom he fears every day. “I wanna see my kids. I want my kids to bury me,” he said.
“We need to get our kids. What do we do?” Staggers asked the crowd.
A conversation ensued — followed by the group taking to the streets.
One audience member suggested the group collaborate with community organizations in the future to increase their impact.
Sean Reeves, co-founder of S.P.O.R.T Academy, emphasized to the crowd that they must “give these kids a game plan. It won’t work if we just tell them to put the guns away. It’s all they know. We have to give them opportunities,” he said.
Reeves said in his experience with today’s youth he has learned they are most interested in entrepreneurship. “They don’t all want to be trained in trades like we were. They want to be entrepreneurs,” Reeves said.
Reeves also said Newhallville needs to have a dedicated spot for meeting up as a community.
Newhallville native Brother Born stopped by the gathering in passing to share with the crowd that a Saturday breakfast program will start up this week from 10 to 11 a.m at the Newhallville Learning Corridor on the corner of Hazel Street and Shelton Avenue.
Devin Avshalom-Smith founder of the Newhallville Community Action Network, encouraged the crowd to attend the Newhallville Equality and Empowerment Rally on July 26 from 2 p.m to 5 p.m at Lincoln Bassett Community School. Books, groceries, masks, and gloves will be distributed. There were also be census and voter registration, blood pressure checks, and Covid-19 testing.
“The city has taken away our Covid testing site, so we’re bringing it right back,” Avshalom-Smith said.
In order to rebuild a community village, Reeves said, neighbors must hold each other accountable. “I gotta be able to talk to your kid when they doing wrong,” he said. “We have to get off singularity thinking if we’re going to save these kids.”
Honda Smith and Carlton Staggers leading the walk.
Street outreach worker Leonard Jahad of the Connecticut Violence Intervention Program suggested the crowd walk the streets and talk to the youth right then and there.
Staggers and others agreed.
“We need to change the culture of resolving beef,” Jahad said.
Before beginning their walk the group chose when and where they would meet next with the goal of walking in every New Haven neighborhood to engage youth directly. West Hills Alder Honda Smith suggested Westville Manor. The group agreed and decided they will walk around Westville Manor on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
“So which way are we going?” Staggers asked.
About 30 walked through the neighborhood streets stopping at residents sitting on their porches, cars, and bikes.
“We’re walking out here today to let people know we’re tired of all these young kids getting killed. It’s time to put the guns down,” said Staggers to a family hosting a gathering in their backyard. “And if you support us we’re walking Westville Manor on Wednesday, tell friends. Or you could come walk with us right now.”
Retired Police Sgt. Jacqueline “Jackie” Hoyte was amongst the walkers. On Shepard Avenue, Hoyte and neighbor Lakeisha Williams stopped in front of a white two-family house.
On the front porch sat Manualynn King. “Come walk with us. We’re trying to talk to these kids out here,” said Hoyte.
“Oh yes. Let me get my shoes,” said King who ran inside to get shoes and her mask then joined the crowd.
“God put this opportunity in front of me today,” said King. “These kids don’t know love, hope, and peace so we need to help them.”
Jahad passed out his card to neighbors during the walk telling people of all ages he can help out anyone from entrepreneurs who need help writing grants or getting funding to youth who just need someone to talk and care about them. “If you have some young heads send them my way, I got some jobs for them,” Jahad told neighbor as he passed them his card. “We need to change the culture of resolving beef,” he said.
After returning to Bassett Street Park, Braggin Rights hung out and talked with the boys for another half hour as they showed him tricks on their bikes.
“I feel like I’m doing my job especially because I know I have influence and platform,” he said. Braggin Rights shared videos of the walk on his Facebook and Instagram — where another 12,000 people could follow along.
Bravo. Peace starts here.