Shane was my mission

Tia Bell is a powerful, determined and impactful force for her community, city and this nation. She has taken her formative childhood experience, the shooting of her mother, who thankfully survived, and subsequent murders of other family members and friends as a blueprint for acting proactively to prevent the scourge of gun violence. Her academic grounding is at the intersection of youth development and gun violence, a public health crisis that is the consequence of historical and ongoing racism, disinvestment and under-representation. The TRIGGER Project, the nonprofit she founded and leads, is laser-focused on equipping young people to tackle interpersonal conflicts with words and reason instead of violence. When Tia asked me to interview Sharon Williams, the mother of her beloved mentee Shane who was murdered in 2023 outside of his home, I was honored. Sharon is strong, loving and hurt beyond measure, a woman whose losses have fueled her commitment to providing a different environment and future for Shane's toddler son Princeton. Tia and Sharon are the closest of friends and their shared loss has shaken both to their core. Their voices matter. Science matters. Gun violence is not inevitable. Listen, comment and share.