1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: It's night Side with Dan Ray on w b Z, 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: Boston's news radio. 3 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 2: All right, welcome back everyone, as we move into our 4 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 2: talk topics, our talk hours from nine o'clock through midnight. 5 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 2: My name is Dan Ray, the host of Nightside, and 6 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 2: delighted to be joined by a gentleman who's been a 7 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 2: guest on this program previously and comes back and joins 8 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: us again tonight. Unfortunately, it's a tough topic with us, 9 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 2: as Reverend Kevin Peterson, he is with the a group 10 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 2: called the the New Democracy Coalition. But most of you 11 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 2: know Reverend Peterson as a religious leader in the Roxbury, Dorchester, 12 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 2: Mattapan community. He has also been involved in a number 13 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 2: of issues that you're renaming a fanal hall being first 14 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 2: and foremost in my mind. But tonight we want to 15 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:12,119 Speaker 2: focus on what Reverend Peterson first referred to as a 16 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: murder triangle in a Boston Globe op ed piece that 17 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 2: he co authored with Robert Lewis back two years ago. 18 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 2: Now in June of twenty twenty three. Reverend Peterson, welcome 19 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:27,759 Speaker 2: back to Nightside. How are you. 20 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 3: Good? 21 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 2: Evening? 22 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 3: Unfortunately here under unfortunately we're here under difficult situations different, well, 23 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 3: not positive oh. 24 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 2: No, Well, this is the most serious issue that any 25 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 2: community can deal with because this involves in the murders 26 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 2: of young people, young people who are often totally innocent, 27 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 2: in including this young student from Malden, year old Jakiah Lewis. 28 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 2: She was shot in October and there were two other 29 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 2: young men with her who was shot. They suffered serious wounds, 30 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 2: but they have survived. She survived for you know, six weeks, 31 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: but unfortunately has passed on and becomes another murder victim. 32 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 2: Still no arrest in this case as far as I know. 33 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 2: And you speak out on this, and you speak out 34 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 2: with a great deal of conviction and force, and I 35 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 2: admire you for it. I hope you know that, and 36 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,399 Speaker 2: I am here to try to, you know, give you 37 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: an opportunity not only to reach people in your community 38 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 2: who are impacted by this, but also to reach other 39 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 2: sections of the city which you know, are not dealing 40 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 2: with the murder rate that that that you're seeing, uh, 41 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 2: and also people who live in in suburbs who uh 42 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 2: don't seem to think about this reference And you know, 43 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 2: I don't live in Roxbury, Dorchester a Matapan, but I 44 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 2: can't tell you how much I admire your courage to 45 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 2: stand up and speak out, because obviously you're you're suggesting 46 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 2: that the police need to do more. And I'm sure 47 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 2: there's a lot of folks in your community who are 48 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 2: not happy with you. 49 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 3: There are some who are not happy with me. Again, 50 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 3: thank you for allowing me to come on to talk 51 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 3: about this ongoing conversation related to the murder triangle as 52 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 3: we call it. It's an area of the city of 53 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 3: Boston that ranges from the South End and through Roxbury 54 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 3: and Dorchester, Mattapan and High Park where dan there has 55 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 3: been over the last twenty years, and this disproportion a 56 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 3: number of murders compared to the rest of the city. 57 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 3: And this murder triangle is mostly people of color, more 58 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 3: specifically mostly black men between the ages of twenty five 59 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 3: and forty ninety five percent in fact, of those who 60 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 3: are who have been murdered over the last ten years 61 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 3: in Boston had faced the end of their life through 62 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 3: violence in the murder of Triangle. And so we're grieving 63 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 3: tonight collectively across the across this community, across the city, 64 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 3: quite frankly, around the death of this young lady, eighteen 65 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 3: year old lady who lived in Boston at one point 66 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 3: and left the City of Boston with her family in 67 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 3: order to be in a safer environment and was visiting 68 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 3: Mattapan on Hiawaka Street in Madapan on October eleventh, and 69 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 3: unfortunately was shot in the heads randomly. It seems so 70 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 3: we're grieving around that, But as much as we focused 71 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 3: on Jekiah, she fits within the larger a larger context 72 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 3: of violence that hasn't been addressed on two levels, hasn't 73 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 3: been addressed by the City of Boston, the murder triangle. Unfortunately, 74 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 3: it has been institutionalized. It has become a common trope 75 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 3: or common theme within the City of Boston where Black 76 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 3: people die disproportionately. The city bears a great deal of 77 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 3: responsibility for that, the Police Commissioner, Commissioner Cox, and particularly 78 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 3: good Mayor, because they set a standard in terms of 79 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 3: what policing policies should be in place in the in 80 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 3: the city of Boston, and they bear the heavy responsibility 81 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 3: of engaging in those communities so that people are safe. 82 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 3: At the same time, the black community itself bears responsibility 83 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 3: in terms of this problem because we should not have 84 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 3: guns in our homes, and if there are guns, illegal 85 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 3: guns in our homes. We need to get rid of them. 86 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 3: And we also need to be the first line of 87 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 3: the fence in terms of surveillance and reporting to the police. 88 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 3: Those individuals in our community who we know are violent 89 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,600 Speaker 3: and who we know have committed specific crimes like the 90 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 3: killing of the car, we need to report that. So 91 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:34,799 Speaker 3: we need to do our job within the black community. 92 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 3: But the police, the city needs to do this job 93 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 3: in ways that it has failed this community which suffers 94 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 3: this crisis of murder and disproportionate ways. 95 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: You know, in looking at the article from June of 96 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three that you will live with Robert Lewis, 97 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 2: I remember the Graham. She was about sixty years old 98 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 2: and on a I believe it was a sad was 99 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 2: it a Saturday or a Sunday. She's sitting on the porch, 100 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 2: sitting on her porch, and she she was shot to death. 101 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 2: It was around six o'clock at night, if I recall, 102 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 2: and I am just doing this from from recall, Kevin, 103 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 2: I have not looked this one up. And and the 104 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 2: call went out, and yet no one came forward. Some 105 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 2: people have to know who fired that shot. Absolutely it 106 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 2: took her life and and some people have to know 107 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 2: what happened to the to uh Zakiah Lewis. You know 108 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 2: she was at death's door now for you know, about 109 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 2: five weeks and and she and she finally lost her life. 110 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 2: A young eighteen year old woman with her life in 111 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 2: front of her. She's still in high school. And if 112 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 2: this was going on in and I keep talking about, 113 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 2: you know, some of the Tony suburb you know, the 114 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 2: more Tony, you know, Weston Whaland I call them the 115 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 2: w communities, Winchester and all of that. Rightfully, so the 116 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 2: community of up at arms and they would have the 117 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 2: National Guard on every police corner if they if they 118 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 2: had to. Is that is it time in your opinion 119 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 2: for if the Boston Police Department can't prevent these crimes 120 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 2: from happening, is it time for? 121 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 3: Well two things. I think that if the Boston Police 122 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 3: Department continues to fail the black community, the black community, 123 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 3: it is incumbent upon the black community to protect itself. 124 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:46,839 Speaker 3: And by that, I mean that the black community was 125 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 3: organized in ways where they began to engage in public 126 00:08:51,760 --> 00:09:00,320 Speaker 3: surveillance uh and and and public practices of protection, a 127 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 3: sort of passively getting the guns out of the community. 128 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 3: Be identifying and maybe aprehending. I'm not sure if that's 129 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 3: legal or not, but maybe apprehending is turning in those 130 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 3: people in the community who are suspected of committing the murders, 131 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 3: such as the one that occurred with this young lady. 132 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 3: If this were I'll take it up a notch and 133 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 3: racialize this issue as it is obviously so. If this 134 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 3: was a white woman eighteen years old who died on 135 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 3: the streets of Mattapan of last month within forty eight hours, 136 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 3: there would have been National Guards and there would have 137 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 3: been the full employment deployment of police resources to afrahend 138 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 3: arrests the person who or persons who did this. There is, 139 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 3: in my opinion, Band, a total disregard institutionally from the 140 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:01,679 Speaker 3: level of the city, a total disregard for black life 141 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 3: within the murder triangle which I live in and which 142 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 3: I choose to live in, UH, and which I choose 143 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 3: to defend. Despite those as you suggested, UH in my community, 144 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 3: who would go to argue that we shouldn't arrest people 145 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 3: in our community to commit these crimes and then we 146 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 3: should look the other way. I totally disagree. I totally 147 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 3: disagree with that, and there and there needs to be 148 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 3: There needs to be some chastisement around that, around that issue, 149 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 3: that attitude within the black community, as much as there 150 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 3: ought to be severe criticism to Mayor Woolen Commissioner Cox 151 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:44,559 Speaker 3: for not responding to this issue in a serious way. 152 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:49,319 Speaker 3: When you have a certain area of the city suffering 153 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:56,679 Speaker 3: disproportionate amounts of murder over two generations, we got a problem. 154 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 2: That we need to get when we get back from 155 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,439 Speaker 2: what I want to do is talk to you about 156 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 2: Mayor Wu. I mean, this has been going on and 157 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 2: during this last year, which was a campaign year, obviously 158 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 2: a lot of her attention was focused on getting re elected. 159 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 2: She is now re elected. It would seem to me 160 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 2: that as opposed to going up to Canada to take 161 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 2: possession of a beautiful Christmas tree and Halifax or wherever 162 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 2: it was, she'd be better off meeting with community leaders 163 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 2: in Roxbury, Matapan and Dorchester as well as throughout the city. Uh. 164 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 2: And so I want to ask you, and I'll ask 165 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 2: you to hold off on an answer when we get back, 166 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 2: have you what what sort of relationship have you developed 167 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 2: do you have with the Mayor's office, with with with 168 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:52,680 Speaker 2: Boston City Hall and with councilors. There's a there's a 169 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 2: new councilor who was just elected. Well, I think as 170 00:11:56,800 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 2: a man of the cloth, is the new District seven 171 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 2: councilor a relic. Yeah, So I want to talk to 172 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 2: you about that dynamic. And I also want to invite 173 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 2: phone callers, and I would hope to hear not only 174 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 2: from people who live in this community and are impacted 175 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 2: by it, but I also love to hear from some 176 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 2: people who live outside of Boston or live in other 177 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:23,959 Speaker 2: portions of Boston to lend their voices to support of 178 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 2: the community that has been so besieged, as you say, 179 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 2: for generations. My name is Dan Ray. This is night 180 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 2: Side six one seven, two five four ten thirty. We 181 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 2: also have the line six one seven nine three one 182 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 2: ten thirty. Please uh. Silence is tacit approval, ladies and gentlemen, 183 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 2: And this is a situation that has to be called out. 184 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 2: I'm not never going to get religious with a with 185 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 2: a reverend, because he's going to know a lot more 186 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 2: about this than I do. But we are all God's children. 187 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 2: If you happen to believe, and I don't care where 188 00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 2: you live, I don't care where you were born. Each 189 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 2: one is precious, Each life is precious, and we need 190 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 2: to understand that, and we need to address that. And 191 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 2: I'll be back with my guest, the Reverend Kevin Peterson 192 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 2: of the New Democracy Coalition. Right after these messages. 193 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 1: It's Night Side with Dan Ray Boston's News Radio. 194 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 2: My guess is Reverend Kevin Peterson, the New Democracy Coalition, 195 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 2: talking about what he refers to as a murder triangle 196 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 2: beginning at the tip of the triangle, the top of 197 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 2: the triangle, the south end and cutting through portions at Roxbury, Dorchester, 198 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 2: Mattapan and High Park. Reverend I finished that last segment, 199 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 2: and in a moment we're going to speak with the 200 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 2: mom of this young eighteen year old Malden student who 201 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 2: has lost her life in this shooting in October, and 202 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 2: she battled mightily to live in past. How is the 203 00:13:56,280 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 2: mayor treating this issue? I mean, the campaign is now over. 204 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:03,320 Speaker 2: She's up in Nova Scotia cutting down a Christmas tree. 205 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 2: I guess, uh, what has has she been responsive? What 206 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 2: about the counselors who in many cases represent you know, 207 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 2: parts of these communities. Have they been helpful? 208 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 3: I would say overall they have not been helpful. If 209 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 3: they were to be graded, including the mayor, that the 210 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 3: great would be a D D minus. 211 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 2: UH. 212 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 3: We UH hundreds of people two years ago, and this 213 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 3: is how the Murder Triangle designates. UH was designated in 214 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 3: terms of in terms of the maiming, hundreds of hundreds 215 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 3: of people two years ago got together in the cold 216 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 3: of winter over four successive weeks in the South End Matapan, 217 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 3: Dorchester and Roxbury and agreed we should call this place 218 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 3: the Murder Triangle, so as the highlight. So it's in 219 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 3: some ways to embarrass the mayor and and and the 220 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 3: and the commissioner that this was a crisis. So we 221 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 3: we identified the area. We we we ran the numbers 222 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 3: over two generations and identified this place as a crisis 223 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 3: point for black people in this city UH in proportion 224 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:17,360 Speaker 3: or disproportioned in terms of how white life persists in 225 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 3: a more positive sense with regard to public safety. So 226 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 3: we we we we we went through formal steps and 227 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 3: produced a report which was delivered to the mayor and 228 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 3: to the city council. And then there has been no 229 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 3: measurable progress. There has been no communication to these to 230 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 3: the hundreds of people who UH set in these meetings 231 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 3: and and they asked me from time to time, what's happening, Kevin? 232 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 3: Why have we not been able to capture the attention 233 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 3: the mayor wou with regard regard to this And the 234 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 3: only thing I can say to them is that we 235 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 3: need to keep trying. And this is this situation is 236 00:15:55,400 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 3: reflective of, as mentioned before, institutionalized racism with regard to 237 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 3: public safety and bostment. It's not. It's one of the 238 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 3: safety cities in the in the country with regards to 239 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 3: black life. 240 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you know a lot of folks had Black 241 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 2: lives matters and black lives bumper stickers and those black 242 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 2: lives matter too. By the way, as as you know 243 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 2: better than anyone, Reverend, we have, Uh, the mom of 244 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 2: Jakia Lewis on the phone. I'm gonna identify Raheema Raheema Grayson. 245 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 2: Welcome to Night's side. I'm gonna hold you over through 246 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 2: the news, but I didn't I wanted to get you 247 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 2: on the air first of all, So sorry about the 248 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 2: loss of your daughter. Uh, there's there's no words that 249 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 2: come to mind. Thank you for calling in tonight. Tell 250 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 2: us a little bit about your daughter and what her 251 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 2: hopes and aspirations were hopes and aspirations rahema that sadly 252 00:16:57,320 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 2: will never be fulfilled. 253 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, my daughter, Jakia Lewis, she was eighteen. She was 254 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 4: hurt in the street of Boston. She was killed in 255 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:10,159 Speaker 4: the street of Boston. She was a good girl. She 256 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,199 Speaker 4: stayed to herself. She had a lot of friends. She 257 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:18,880 Speaker 4: was ably outgoing, beautiful. She just was white to herself. 258 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:21,439 Speaker 4: She likes to go outside for somebody to tell her, 259 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 4: get out the house, guy, get out the house, wilside. 260 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 4: She doesn't want to go off of there's nothing to 261 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 4: do alf in the sheep of Boston. There's nothing for 262 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 4: kids to do, and she's not any any games or anything. 263 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,880 Speaker 4: It's just the people she hangs around with. It could 264 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,200 Speaker 4: be the wrong place, wrong time. It's just my baby 265 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 4: did not deserve this. She doesn't even know people in Boston. 266 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 4: She stays in London. She leaves behind two sisters, fifteen 267 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 4: and seven. I just want justice for my daughter, and 268 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 4: I want it now. I want some to say her name, 269 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 4: Jakaia Lewis. 270 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:04,199 Speaker 2: Yeah, well we will say her name. I assure you that. 271 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 2: So she was your oldest child, I. 272 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 4: Assume yes, my firstborn. 273 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, my best friend, my world. 274 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 2: What what what did she ever talk to you about? 275 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 2: What what her hopes and dreams and aspirations were. Did 276 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 2: she uh? Did did she ever? And again, when you're 277 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 2: eighteen years old, maybe most eighteen year olds don't think 278 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 2: about that. But I just wanted to give you a 279 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 2: chance to help our audience get to know your daughter 280 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:31,719 Speaker 2: a little bit. 281 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,919 Speaker 4: She was herself. She was into beauty. She loves to 282 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 4: do here, she herself where she was just Kaya like 283 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 4: the fashion de Stio, like the outside, the music. She likes, 284 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 4: the actors. You like to dance, she likes sports. Yeah, Kaya, 285 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 4: she could do ten backflips at once like Chica. 286 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, we have. You know, Reverend Peterson with us has 287 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 2: been on our show before. Uh, and I. 288 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 5: Know that that he is really trying to raise the 289 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,119 Speaker 5: You know what happens is these young kids are killed 290 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:20,160 Speaker 5: and people forget them and they become a statistic. 291 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:23,200 Speaker 2: And I don't want them to become a statistic. We're 292 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 2: gonna talk later on a little bit about the little 293 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 2: boy Lens Joseph, who was killed killed by by the 294 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:38,920 Speaker 2: bus that he had just gotten off of. And you know, 295 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 2: there's been no action on that to the best of 296 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:43,880 Speaker 2: my knowledge. Reverend Peterson will know it better than I do, 297 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 2: but I want to find out. You know, we can't 298 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 2: forget the names of these children. Uh. And I say children, 299 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 2: I mean your daughter is she's a teenager, but young 300 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 2: people who are cut down before their life even even starts. 301 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 2: So I got to take a break for news. Will 302 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 2: you stay with us for a couple more minutes and 303 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 2: we'll come back to you right after the news with 304 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:07,919 Speaker 2: Reverend Peterson. Is that okay with you? 305 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 4: Yes? 306 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:11,200 Speaker 3: Yes, thanks, thank you, thank you. 307 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 2: Stay right there, Reverend, stay right there. We've got a 308 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:15,879 Speaker 2: news break and we'll be back right after that. We 309 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:17,880 Speaker 2: have other phone calls. The only lines that are open 310 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 2: right now are six one seven nine three one ten thirty. 311 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 2: If you'd like to get on board six one, seven 312 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 2: nine three ten thirty. I have other callers that we 313 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 2: will talk to after we talk with Zekaia's mom, Rahem 314 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:38,200 Speaker 2: Grayson uh and Reverend Peterson right after the news break. 315 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: Back after this, it's Night Side with Dan Ray on 316 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: w Boston's news radio. 317 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 2: We're talking about the loss of many lives in one 318 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 2: section of Boston. With us is Reverend Kevin Peterson in 319 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 2: the New Democracy Coalition joining us on the phone is 320 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 2: the mom of the latest UH murder victim, Jakiah Lewis. 321 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 2: Jakiah was shot on October eleventh. She was doing nothing wrong. 322 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 2: She was you know, what some might call collateral damage 323 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 2: or whatever phrase someone wants to use. But her life 324 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 2: was taken from her, and her life was taken from 325 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 2: her mom, Raheema, Obviously you've been living with this nightmare 326 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 2: now since October eleventh. Can you describe to my audience 327 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 2: how how you can ever get past this? I mean, 328 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 2: I have no clue how you could possibly even get 329 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 2: out of bed in the morning or or even face 330 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 2: the day under these circumstances. How I guess my question 331 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,640 Speaker 2: is you must still be in a in a state 332 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 2: of shock. So I'm trying to ask questions that that 333 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 2: that our general and I don't want to I'm not 334 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:05,160 Speaker 2: trying to pry. But yes, God love you. I hope 335 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:06,399 Speaker 2: that you're a person of faith. 336 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 3: I know reference. 337 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:12,680 Speaker 4: I had to go up and back and forth to 338 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 4: the hospital. It was hard seeing my baby like it 339 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:21,639 Speaker 4: was hard. I'm telling me that she may not recover, 340 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:24,199 Speaker 4: she may never wake up, she might have to have 341 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 4: a breathing too for the rest of my life. Yeah, 342 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:31,360 Speaker 4: and I hold on to my faith. And a week 343 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 4: went by, they tell me she's not there. I have faith. 344 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 4: Another week go by, my baby was not brain dead 345 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 4: and she was still breathing. Yeah, so I donated my 346 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 4: baby organ. She saved a life, said, three lives. But 347 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 4: it's just a lot. Did I deal with. 348 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 2: Well? I can'd of imagine what those decisions must have been, 349 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 2: but obviously you have. You have been through something that 350 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:14,640 Speaker 2: no mom, no parent should should ever be through. And 351 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:17,360 Speaker 2: I pledge to you that we will try to keep 352 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:21,239 Speaker 2: this issue alive and talk with Reverend Peterson about it. 353 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 2: But please stay strong. For your younger daughters. I'm sure 354 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 2: that this has changed their lives forever, but you know, 355 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 2: just stay I thank you for just go ahead. I 356 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:38,879 Speaker 2: didn't mean to or please go ahead. 357 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 4: The damage is done, my family, The damage is done. 358 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 4: We're grieving. Anything that I do from this point on 359 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 4: is a part of my hearing. The damage is done. 360 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 4: This is my second child. I'm getting ready to bury. 361 00:23:56,160 --> 00:24:02,159 Speaker 2: Raheema. Please stay strong. Hopefully your story has reached a 362 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 2: lot of people tonight. Thank you for having the courage 363 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,679 Speaker 2: to even pick up the telephone, never mind talk with 364 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 2: us tonight. You're selling an amazing mom. 365 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 4: That's all I do is take care of my kids. 366 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,680 Speaker 4: My daughter showed me how she so. Now from now on, 367 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 4: I'm going to show how so. 368 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,640 Speaker 2: And I am that a lot of my listeners will 369 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 2: say a prayer for you and your daughters. What are 370 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 2: you the daughters of your younger children? What are their 371 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 2: first names? 372 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 4: Janaiah and Jah. 373 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 2: They're blessed to have you as a mom. Raheema, thank 374 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:37,359 Speaker 2: you for your time tonight. 375 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 4: Thank you so much. 376 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:47,720 Speaker 2: You're very welcome. You're very welcome. Good night, Reverend. I'm speechless, 377 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 2: uh and I'm not often speechless how she could have 378 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:52,959 Speaker 2: the courage to come in and uh uh and and 379 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 2: pick up the phone and talk with us tonight after 380 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:00,479 Speaker 2: what she's been true and anyone who who wasn't reached 381 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 2: by what she had to say, they must have a 382 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,680 Speaker 2: heart of stone, you know. 383 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:11,679 Speaker 3: And it's hard to summon words that capture the grief 384 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 3: of these mothers and these families. Over the last three years, 385 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 3: I've gone to the crime scenes. I've seen the blood 386 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 3: on the streets, and I've seen families greeting and crying 387 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 3: out for justice. As Rahima Grace is crying out for justice. 388 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 3: I do want to put a point on this before 389 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:36,440 Speaker 3: you go to callers that Miss Grayson's daughter died. Finally 390 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 3: last Friday, Dan. On this past Friday, uh, there was 391 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:47,880 Speaker 3: a double shooting on Standard Street in Mattapan. The day 392 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 3: after that, which is day before yesterday, there was just 393 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:55,360 Speaker 3: another shooting in Matapan. Yesterday there was a stabbing murder 394 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 3: in Madipan. All this within the context of what we 395 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 3: call the murder triangle. 396 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: UH. 397 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 3: So for for those city officials and even if those 398 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 3: in our community who who remain it seems willfully to 399 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 3: be oblivious to the carnage that's happening within the community 400 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 3: and how that carnage is impacting uh, not just the 401 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 3: individual families, but an entire community in terms of the 402 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 3: collective grief and trauma, but also in terms of public safety. 403 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,919 Speaker 3: If we in our community, in my community do not 404 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 3: come out and service the first line of defense, then 405 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 3: we allow murderers to go free. That's a tragedy. We 406 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:44,400 Speaker 3: have to address it. But again that we put as 407 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 3: much pressure on the City of Boston who was supposed 408 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 3: to provide public safety, notwithstanding race or geography or class, 409 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:58,439 Speaker 3: they're not doing the job. So I if blame was 410 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 3: to be direct to do any one. And today it 411 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:03,560 Speaker 3: would be the city of Boston and Mayor Woo in particular, 412 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 3: and Commissioner Cox, who ironically is a black man who 413 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 3: grew up in the triangle, grew up in the murder triangle. Uh, 414 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 3: and for dared not to be any visible presence by 415 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 3: the city and by by the city in particular the 416 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 3: police commissioner in terms of dressing by addressing by name 417 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 3: the murder triangle as the number one crisis in our city. 418 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 1: Uh. 419 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 3: Then uh, they must be criticized by failures. 420 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:32,959 Speaker 2: Well, we will, we will continue to focus on this. 421 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 2: I want to get to a couple of more calls, 422 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 2: a few more callers before the end of the hour. Reference. 423 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 2: But so just stay with me. At this point people 424 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 2: probably will want to talk to you and ask you questions. 425 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 2: Let me go to Steve in Cambridge. Steve, welcome back 426 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 2: to Night's side. Reverend. This is one of my more 427 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 2: thoughtful callers. He always he's he's a he's a very 428 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 2: interesting individual, and he very smart and but has that 429 00:27:57,920 --> 00:27:58,640 Speaker 2: has a big heart. 430 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:04,879 Speaker 6: Steve Dan, thank you. That's very kind of you, Reverend Peterson. 431 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 6: Chicago has a much worse crime rate, particularly in the 432 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:19,160 Speaker 6: black population than Boston, I believe, and the president UH 433 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 6: sent the National Guard. UH is that something you approve of? 434 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:30,200 Speaker 3: I would approve of it if if that, if the situation, 435 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 3: the crisis in Boston persist, I would be h more satisfied. 436 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 3: If tomorrow UH mayor and warn the Commissioner came out 437 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 3: and and UH embrace this identified crisis as an important 438 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 3: failure agenda item in terms of public policy with regard 439 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 3: to policing tomorrow, if it comes to the black community 440 00:28:55,720 --> 00:29:01,680 Speaker 3: deploying its own of forms of protection UH, surveillance, vigilance. 441 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 3: If it comes to the point that we may have 442 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 3: to collect uh a a bounty from the black community 443 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 3: to to to at least the rest of particularly Jakiah UH, 444 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 3: then so be it. UH. We're not left with many alternatives. 445 00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:24,720 Speaker 3: If the if the city of Boston turns A turns 446 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 3: away from this as a as a as a major 447 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:31,760 Speaker 3: UH issue UH and unfortunately they have so calling from 448 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 3: the National Guards is not with that. It is not 449 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 3: outside of my attention in terms of leading to solutions. 450 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 6: A hard question, why is it that there are so 451 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 6: many young black men who seem intent on killing other, 452 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 6: mostly male young blacks, UH. 453 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 3: You know, this is is a very complex response to that. 454 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 3: Some of it, most of it, I would say, has 455 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 3: to do with UH environments that they're are raised in UH, 456 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 3: some of which are connected to the their socio economic status. 457 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,959 Speaker 3: I would suggest that most of these young black men 458 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 3: who encounter both gangs and are are involved, who are 459 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 3: the victims of violence, are are poor, lacking, unemployed, lacking employment, 460 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 3: lacking in full robust education. So there are institutional UH 461 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 3: stumbling blocks, are barriers that prevent their active, robust engagement 462 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 3: in civic life that is on the positive side. So 463 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:51,000 Speaker 3: they're led to UH or they're led into situations where 464 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 3: they act out violently UH and that leads to death. 465 00:30:55,360 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 3: We also have to be the cognizant of the the 466 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 3: UH how the cultural institutions within the Black community are 467 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 3: responding to this. Our black churches, for example, in terms 468 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 3: of this issue of violence, UH has not been collectively 469 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 3: have not been collectively engaged in focus and UH directing 470 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 3: their actions in a very conscious, everyday way on this 471 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,720 Speaker 3: issue of violence and and what happens to our young 472 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:30,880 Speaker 3: black men as they move from prepubessence to UH to 473 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:35,480 Speaker 3: their teenage years where much of this violence begins to occur. 474 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:40,640 Speaker 3: So it's a very complexish complexia. But nothing but but 475 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 3: it has nothing to do I want to I want 476 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,320 Speaker 3: to be clear, and it has nothing to do with 477 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 3: a certain strands genetically or biologically within the black community 478 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 3: where they are deemed specifically immoral. 479 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:57,800 Speaker 6: Last question, last question, reverend, and I'm sure you've heard 480 00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 6: this before. Does ingle parent households have a factor in that? 481 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:07,840 Speaker 3: Yes? Unfortunately, yes. 482 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 6: All right, Well, good luck, and I wish you the 483 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:12,840 Speaker 6: very best. Thank you for answering my questions. 484 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 2: See, thank you for your interest. I appreciate it. 485 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:16,280 Speaker 6: Thank you, Thank you. Dan. 486 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 2: Good take quick break. I've got more calls coming, reverend, 487 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:23,320 Speaker 2: so let's let's get to the commercials and then we'll 488 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 2: be right back. I believe we also are going to 489 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 2: speak with an aunt of this murder victim. And by 490 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,640 Speaker 2: the way, I believe that we have now exceeded the 491 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 2: number of murders that this city had in twenty twenty four. 492 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:40,400 Speaker 2: That is not the sort of number we want to exceed, ever, 493 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 2: because one one death is one too many in my opinion. 494 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:48,600 Speaker 2: Back with night's I with my guest, Reverend Kevin Peterson 495 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 2: of the New Democracy Coalition. 496 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 1: You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on w Boston's 497 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 1: News Radio. 498 00:32:57,040 --> 00:32:59,880 Speaker 2: My guests is Reverend Kevin Peterson, the New Democracy coal 499 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 2: talking about an unacceptable murder rate in parts of Boston. 500 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:10,520 Speaker 2: Let me go next to Sue and Mendon, Massachusetts. Sue 501 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 2: appreciate you taking the time to call from Menden. Go 502 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 2: right ahead. You're on with Reverend Kevin Peterson. 503 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:20,280 Speaker 7: Good evening, Reverend and Dan. I'm hoping that I can 504 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 7: give some help in this situation. As you know, many 505 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 7: cities have pockets of crime that that's nothing new, And 506 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 7: in Fresno, where I'm from, they took a model from 507 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 7: San Diego called Priority oriented policing. The mayor and the 508 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 7: police chief got together and handpicked police unit individuals to 509 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:55,640 Speaker 7: form a POP team, and then that POP team went 510 00:33:55,840 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 7: out and investigated. They identified the criminal l within these 511 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 7: pockets of crime, and they researched it enough so that 512 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:12,960 Speaker 7: they knew what other agencies they could get involved to 513 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:19,239 Speaker 7: help to apprehend and to prosecute these folks and get 514 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:23,400 Speaker 7: them out of the community. So whether they were behind 515 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:26,600 Speaker 7: in their rent or they hadn't paid their taxes, they 516 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:30,880 Speaker 7: did the research to then get these other agencies involved 517 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:37,440 Speaker 7: in the arrest and conviction. Then once the criminal elements 518 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:41,480 Speaker 7: were taken out of the community, there are those people 519 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:45,600 Speaker 7: who were on the fringe who were being influenced by 520 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 7: the criminal elements but weren't as hardened as the original criminals, 521 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:57,360 Speaker 7: and so they would set up like an apartment within 522 00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:02,120 Speaker 7: a complex, for example. They would get at the apartment 523 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:05,719 Speaker 7: manager or the owner to turn that into a community 524 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:09,759 Speaker 7: resource area for the people living in that near assentity. 525 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 7: And then one of the officers within the POP team 526 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:18,520 Speaker 7: was a liaison with local churches. They would go out 527 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:21,480 Speaker 7: and talk about the program to the churches and get 528 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 7: a church to sponsor one of these these resource centers, 529 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 7: and the people from the church would donate things like 530 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:37,600 Speaker 7: computers and televisions and games and things to put in 531 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 7: this apartment where the people could come together and form community. 532 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:50,200 Speaker 2: That all sounds great, and maybe a reverend get in 533 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:52,240 Speaker 2: touch with some folks who said, that's in San Diego. 534 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:56,680 Speaker 7: Huh, the original was in San Diego, and then Fresno 535 00:35:56,800 --> 00:35:57,920 Speaker 7: also adopted it. 536 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:00,480 Speaker 2: So I have to grab one of the calls because 537 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,480 Speaker 2: the the the aunt of this young murder victim is 538 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:06,160 Speaker 2: on the line, so I'd like to get to her 539 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:09,480 Speaker 2: before the Denal Doogue News. But thank you for your 540 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,040 Speaker 2: for your suggestions. Those are all good ones. 541 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:14,319 Speaker 7: Thank you, good night, good night. 542 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:17,320 Speaker 2: Uh let me go to Erica in Dorchester. Erica, this 543 00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 2: is you're the aunt of this young eighteen year old victim. Correct, Yeah, yeah, 544 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:24,560 Speaker 2: you're right ahead. 545 00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:28,200 Speaker 4: She's not a victim. Say her name, Hi is a 546 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 4: survivor victim. 547 00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:34,200 Speaker 2: We've said her name repeatedly tonight, and you have my 548 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:37,320 Speaker 2: word that it would be said many times in this program. 549 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:40,240 Speaker 2: That's why I'm doing this program tonight with Reverend Peterson. 550 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:41,399 Speaker 6: Yes. 551 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:46,560 Speaker 4: Thanks. What I want to speak on about is Michael 552 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 4: Cox and Mayor Wounds. I see them on the news 553 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:52,479 Speaker 4: all the time when they're shooters in Dorchester Roxbury matter pans. 554 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 4: They are there when this happened to my niece, they 555 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 4: weren't there. Didn't not step up to speak up for 556 00:36:57,680 --> 00:37:04,600 Speaker 4: my niece. Mayo Wool attended the mom's graduation. We graduated together. 557 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:08,160 Speaker 4: Mayo Woo was there. This happened to Hikaya. She did 558 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:11,480 Speaker 4: not speak up. Michael Cox, nobody was there. The city 559 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:14,720 Speaker 4: got to do better as far as all these crimes 560 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:16,719 Speaker 4: that are happening in the streets, and I blame it 561 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 4: on the parent. The parents are not maintaining their kids. 562 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:24,719 Speaker 4: Whatever the kids seem growing up as little kids, that's 563 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:26,960 Speaker 4: what they're doing as as adults. I don't know how 564 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:28,879 Speaker 4: they get in a hold of these guns where they're 565 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 4: coming from, but the streets got Boston has to do better. 566 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:34,000 Speaker 4: The police department has to do better to figure out 567 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 4: where these guns are coming from. Takaya was an eighteen 568 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:39,920 Speaker 4: year old little girl. Her mom kept her home all 569 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:42,960 Speaker 4: the time. You know she wants she She just turned 570 00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:45,960 Speaker 4: eighteen four months ago. You know, her mom tried to 571 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:48,560 Speaker 4: give her a little bit of freedom. You know the streets, 572 00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:50,520 Speaker 4: the guys say, the street mayor woo claims that these 573 00:37:50,520 --> 00:37:52,920 Speaker 4: streets are safe. If it was safe, none of this 574 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:55,200 Speaker 4: would have never happened. Chikaia was an innocent little girl 575 00:37:55,239 --> 00:37:58,359 Speaker 4: who accidentally got hurt in these streets. We need their help. 576 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 4: As far as the police department, all they can tell 577 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:04,759 Speaker 4: the mom is everything's going in the right direction. She 578 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 4: needs more information, She needs more than that. Something should 579 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,680 Speaker 4: have been done a long time ago. When this first happened, 580 00:38:11,719 --> 00:38:14,879 Speaker 4: a month ago, a week later, they should have been 581 00:38:14,960 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 4: on it just for us. The only thing we can 582 00:38:17,120 --> 00:38:19,600 Speaker 4: hear is always going in the right direction. 583 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:24,279 Speaker 2: Well, Erica, I appreciate your calling. I hear in your 584 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:30,000 Speaker 2: voice the anger, the justified anger that your family has endured. 585 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:33,840 Speaker 2: And Jakaiah's name will be mentioned in this program many 586 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:36,800 Speaker 2: times the weeks and months ahead, just as I've mentioned 587 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:39,520 Speaker 2: Lens Joseph's name, the little boy who was run over 588 00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:44,160 Speaker 2: by the bus on April twenty eighth of this year, 589 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:49,640 Speaker 2: and there's still no report from the city, no arrests, 590 00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:57,799 Speaker 2: no indict Well, I think sometimes sometimes I think the 591 00:38:57,840 --> 00:39:00,360 Speaker 2: city thinks that over time people will forget. I'm not 592 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:04,640 Speaker 2: going to forget. I'm not going to forget lend Joseph 593 00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:07,200 Speaker 2: lends Joseph's name, and I certainly am not going to 594 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:10,560 Speaker 2: get your name or Raheem's name either. I want you, 595 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:11,120 Speaker 2: I want you. 596 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:13,560 Speaker 4: To will not be slept under the rocks. Jahaia was 597 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:16,920 Speaker 4: an innocent little girl streets. A lot of kids are 598 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:18,719 Speaker 4: losing their lives out here in the streets. 599 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:19,440 Speaker 2: Thank you. 600 00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:21,439 Speaker 4: The city of Bostor have to come up with a plan. 601 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:25,759 Speaker 2: I got to do better, yep, Erica, thank you. I 602 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 2: wish I could have got you one a little earlier, 603 00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:30,960 Speaker 2: but I thank you for your time tonight and Uh, 604 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:34,240 Speaker 2: I promise you my sister. 605 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:38,200 Speaker 4: And your prayers. She are screeving, she's hurting, and she's 606 00:39:38,320 --> 00:39:40,160 Speaker 4: really really hurt, and she's trying to be as strong 607 00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:43,120 Speaker 4: as she can. But this is really, really, really hard 608 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:43,440 Speaker 4: on us. 609 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:48,560 Speaker 2: It's unimaginable what your sister and two and and also 610 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:52,680 Speaker 2: what you have now have to experience. So our thoughts 611 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:55,520 Speaker 2: in PRIs are clearly with you, and I will go 612 00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:57,799 Speaker 2: to this topic as often as I have to. 613 00:39:58,120 --> 00:39:59,080 Speaker 1: You have my okay. 614 00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:00,759 Speaker 4: We need justice and we need it. 615 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:00,960 Speaker 1: Now. 616 00:40:01,120 --> 00:40:04,160 Speaker 4: Say her name, say her name. Say her names are 617 00:40:04,239 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 4: Kaya Lewis. 618 00:40:05,800 --> 00:40:11,000 Speaker 2: All right, Eric, we got thank you, Thank you, good night, Reverend. 619 00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:13,680 Speaker 2: I got a couple of other calls. You want to 620 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:14,239 Speaker 2: stick with me. 621 00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:16,920 Speaker 3: Into the next hour for absolute absolutely. 622 00:40:16,640 --> 00:40:18,239 Speaker 2: Let me do. Let me do that. I wanted to 623 00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 2: get Eric in, so let me take a break. If 624 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:23,440 Speaker 2: someone anyone else wants to join us, I'll be happy 625 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:25,040 Speaker 2: to talk about this and we can say her name 626 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:28,080 Speaker 2: more often. Six one seven, two, five, four, ten thirty. 627 00:40:28,080 --> 00:40:29,600 Speaker 2: I got a couple of lines there and six one 628 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:34,880 Speaker 2: seven nine three thirty. You've heard the pain. Uh, let's try. 629 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:39,680 Speaker 2: Let us try uh to give this family some hope, Reverend, 630 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:41,719 Speaker 2: give us five minutes. We'll be right back with you. Okay, 631 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:43,520 Speaker 2: you can stretch your legs and get a glass of water. 632 00:40:43,719 --> 00:40:46,120 Speaker 2: Back on Night Side with Reverend Kevin Peterson right after 633 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:46,239 Speaker 2: this