All tagged gun violence

A Community Grapples with Gun Violence

We must ask ourselves as citizens of Lexington, is there a better way? The decisions we make in moments of heated conflict have a devastating trickle-down effect on the next generation. Today's youth are coming of age in a world where violence, drugs, and guns are often glorified and emulated from what they see on television and social media. The constant exposure to this content has the power to program the subconscious mind, creating a distorted reality where disputes are settled not with words or fists, but with a pull of a trigger. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated this issue, as remote education led to a decline in academic engagement and an increase in online exposure to such destructive imagery. As parents, we have a responsibility to be a positive influence, to show our children a better way. The time for passive observation is over. We have to start with our children when they are young, before they become another name on a memorial wall.

JLD Scholarship Fund: Community gala focuses on turning pain into purpose

More than sixty guests gathered for the first annual Johnny Leroy “Lee Lee” Dawkins Scholarship “Where Are They Now” program on Sunday, December 11 at Lexington’s Edward C. Smith Civic Center. The event and silent auction served as a fundraiser for the scholarship fund that began 11 years ago after Johnny Leroy Dawkins Jr. was tragically killed in gun violence.