The Miami Times: Mass Shootings Renew Trauma
The Miami Times examined how national mass shootings reopen the wounds of families in Miami who have lost children to everyday gun violence, and what local leaders and organizations are doing while federal legislation stalls.
The reporting follows Romania Dukes, who founded Mothers Fighting for Justice after losing her son to a stray bullet, along with Miami-Dade County Public Defender Carlos Martinez and the county's safety and justice task force, and Thriving Mind's trauma recovery network, which connects people exposed to violence with free mental health services and with practical support like food, housing vouchers, and vocational assistance.
Founder Ruban Roberts spoke about what he sees driving through Liberty City, where memorials line the fences and children wear shirts bearing the faces of people they have lost.
"The trauma that's caused by gun violence, especially in marginalized communities, has been normalized to a great degree."Ruban Roberts, to The Miami Times
He connected that normalization to the anxiety, depression, and stress residents live with when everyone in a neighborhood expects they could become a victim, and described the prevention work behind the mental health program and Teen Talk: giving young people space to discuss current events and think through consequences, and questioning how harshly the system treats them for minor offenses.
"Mental health has definitely been so stigmatized, and it should not be. People should know that we all go through things. There is a way and there is a path forward."Ruban Roberts