The Dade County Bar Association's Young Lawyers Section held an essay contest for students to discuss their experiences with gun violence and to offer up possible solutions.
Students from across Miami-Dade wrote about hearing gun shots outside of their homes, the lack of resources for neighborhoods plagued by gun violence and the need for more counselors to address youth trauma.
The three winners are : first place Aisha Galdo, a junior ar Miami Beach Senior High School; second place, Wendy Reyes, a junior at Miami Norland Senior High School, and third place, Asja Jennings, a junior at Miami Norland Senior High School.
The students won $1,500, $1,000 and $500 respectively. Below are excerpts of their essays.
"Is Getting Shot Miami’s New Zika?" by Aisha Galdo
Currently in Miami Dade County, historically black, low-income communities experience the strongest effects of firearm violence. In the University of Miami study cataloguing gunshot wounds in the county from 2002-2012, it is made clear that incidences of such wounds occurred in the predominantly black and brown neighborhoods of Opa-locka, Liberty City, and Overtown. Firearm violence disproportionately affected young black men and appeared to increase over the course of the study, from about 275 to 325 yearly incidences. These figures indicate a significant issue in Miami-Dade County. To give perspective, the total number of Zika virus cases in the county was 115 in 2017, and 255 statewide (Zika Free Florida, 2018). If gun violence was treated like Zika, there would widespread distribution of bulletproof vests and hours of local news anchors giving out “Five helpful tips to avoid getting shot”. Gun violence is indisputably a public health crisis and the fact that it primarily affects the socioeconomically disempowered is why it is not treated as one. Unlike those who have most to lose from the Zika virus, pregnant mothers, the majority of gun violence victims do not evoke a strong sense of sympathy.
"How Programs Can Help Gun Violence in Miami Gardens" by Wendy Reyes
Why is this being a trend in my community where there is young black males being shot. Guns are being used to kill kids who won’t live to see themselves become senior citizens. It’s a sad statistic that shows the reality of my county and environment. Now the question is why this occurring to a specific race and gender? Well it’s because of the way we provide programs and academic opportunities to the youth in my community... The way we receive education is different. For a private charter school that is predominately white they receive funding for several programs and clubs in their school that can help the students go into college and receive a career path that can help them in the future.
"Our County, Our Children" by Asja Jennings
Gun violence is a public health crisis in Miami-Dade County. A public health crisis is a situation that affects people in an area, this is exactly what gun violence is. Gun violence is not exclusive to Miami, but it is one of the biggest issues here...Unlike other public health crises like HIV, gun violence is not a disease, but it continues to claim the lives of the young and innocent. I feel like if gun violence was treated as the public health crisis by the government and the people then more people would be aware and would see how ailing it can become to a community and society. Apart from the community being the most vital, the local and federal government can also help in eliminating gun violence in poor black neighborhoods like ones here in Miami Dade County. I believe that the Second Amendment needs to be revised. The Second Amendment was written in 1791, a time when the African slave trade still existed. This amendment was ratified so long ago and has not changed through all of these decades. The Second Amendment needs to be updated for modern society... Systematic racism is real and it will kill us if we let it.
