Law enforcement, community members come together for a day of healing
CAMBRIDGE, Md. – People from as far away as Baltimore made their way to the Empowerment Center in Cambridge, to voice their frustrations surrounding gun violence and commemorate those they’ve lost.
Nancy Geeslin, the mother of Caryn Faye Brown, who fell victim to gun violence in early September, came to share her daughter’s story.
“This is my daughter- she’s 27 years old; she was shot and killed on September 4th of this year,” Geeslin said.
Geeslin’s sister, Jennifer Wood, said the day Brown was fatally shot was the day her whole family’s life was changed, forever.
“On September 4th, every plan that my niece had planned with her entire family, present and future, was taken away,” Wood said. “My sister lost her daughter; my brother-in-law lost his daughter; I have two other nieces and a nephew that lost their sister; four children have lost their mother.”
Gun violence is something officials are seeing across the nation and in Cambridge, law enforcement is trying to combat the issue.
“The Cambridge Police Department is here; we’re going to be here for the community- it’s the community first,” Cambridge Police Chief Justin Todd said. “We’re going to bridge gaps within our community, and one of the ways to do that is reaching out and having wraparound services for victims.”
And while the city has seen a decline in homicides, Chief Todd said the marathon is not over yet.
“We had seven homicides last year, we’ve had two this year, so that’s positive numbers,” Chief Todd said. “It shows some progress; we have a lot of work to do, but we will accomplish it, given that everybody sticks together.”
Despite all of the loss, moms like Darlene Cain are adamant that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“We can make changes, and we can work together to form bonds,” Cain said.
And Tyreese McAllister found solace in creating art, to honor her late daughter.
“When my daughter was killed, I tried to find a book to share with the little people, children, and my family, and when I couldn’t find the book, I wrote a book,” McAllister said. “The name of the book ‘Is My Lollipop in Heaven?”
Trauma and loss touched the lives of so many people in the Empowerment Center. Brown’s mom wants to carry the legacy of her daughter and make sure her life wasn’t lost in vain.
“I’m just hoping that the loss of my daughter [will] open the eyes up to some people and realize that these things are happening, and when people are asking for help, [you] act on it,” Geeslin said.
“It needs to come to the realization that is real; I lost my child- it’s something that could have been prevented,” Geeslin added.
