I met Versace Washington, known to the hood as Poo-Poo, when I was a Program Director at Malcolm X Shabazz High School in 2016.

Our babies are dying

By Brit Harley

I met Versace Washington, known to the hood as Poo-Poo, when I was a Program Director at Malcolm X Shabazz High School in 2016. Poo-Poo was full of life!!! She was so determined. She could always go from 0 to 100 real quick! A true sweetheart that was always down to help. Funny as ever! I'll never forget her smile and laugh and the talks we had.

Versace Washington

A week before we lost Poo-Poo, we lost Abdul "Dew" Crowley to gun violence. Dew was an all-around joy to experience. I remember Dew would always help me unload something into my classroom or from the cafeteria or come into my room for snacks. Neither of these young people got to see the age of 25, and as a community, we should be heartbroken.

Families are losing their babies. We are losing our babies.

Our children are losing their friends. They are in a state of emergency. Gun violence and poverty continue to kill the best of us.

I started Five Wards Media & Newark Stories to center the lived experiences and information needs of Newark residents. I believe the realities of our day to day must be centered and examined to support us in the fight for liberation.

Here's a picture of Abdul with Ms. Spears - a mentor and mother figure to many Newark youth. I share this picture because we deserve to see Dew SMILING and in his Black boy joy, not a mugshot that we so often see shared after tragedies on RLS Media.

Ms. Spears & Abdul Crowley

As you go into your weekend, please think of Poo-Poo,Dew, and all of the young people we too often here in our city. If you would like to support Versace's family during this time, they are currently raising funds for her burial. You can donate here. If you would like to support Dew's family, please email me directly [at] brit@fivewardsmedia.com

If you have been impacted by loss and/or violence and are in need of resources and support, visit: The H.U.B.B | Office of Violence Prevention | Newark Community Street Team - trauma recovery form.

Day of Remembrance hosted by Brick City Peace Collective + Office of Trauma Recovery @ Newark's Westside High School

TODAY from 4 PM - 8 PM - A Day of Remembrance hosted by Brick City Peace Collective & the Office of Trauma Recovery @ Newark's West Side High School located at 403 South Orange Avenue.

Events Happening in Newark this weekend

We would be unable to do this work without the funding support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the NJ Civic Information Consortium. Thank you for believing in us and the power of community media and local journalism!

Want to find ways to support our work or learn more? Email brit@newarkstories.com or donate here.

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