ARCHIVES OF LEAD STORIES
September 16, 2004
Roxbury residents hold tribute
to 9/11 victims
E. Jeanne Harnois
On September 11, three years since the attack on
the twin towers and the Pentagon, 50 people gathered at the John
D. O’Bryant African American Institute on the campus of
Northeastern University for the Third Annual Roxbury Tribute and
Memorial Service Program.
The event, “Healing in Life,” co-sponsored by the
Tri-Ad Veterans League, a veterans’ rights advocacy group,
and the Boston Society of Vulcan’s Firefighters Association,
paid tribute to the minority firefighters and police who perished
on 9/11 by celebrating those who serve the community today.
“We are here to address the 9/11’s that go on every
day in our community. It’s a community event to bring the
people together to do some spiritual healing,” said Haywood
Fennell, founder of Tri-Ad Veterans League.
Part of the healing came from the inspiring music, poetry, and
dance performances. The evening showcased the talent of familiar
favorites and brought to the stage some young, fresh talent. There
was gospel music performed by the Young Men of Zion choir and
Velma DuPont, a favorite with the crowd, sang out an opening prayer.
When she came back later to do “Let There Be Peace on Earth”
she sang with such conviction that the room went silent as everyone
believed for that moment that it just might be possible.
Lillian O’Neal recited two poems paying tribute to 9/11,
and young Tocara Thomas also recited a poem of her own.
Frank Wilkins had a “musical offering for peace” with
a piano song that he composed on the spot. The piece conveyed
his emotions regarding the 9/11 disaster, and one could hear the
buildings collapsing as the notes came tumbling out: calm, followed
by chaos, followed by a coda of hope and peace. Karol McLavine
also had the crowd enthralled with an interpretive dance.
Out of all the events commemorating 9/11, this was the only one
focusing on the minority community. According to Karen Miller,
President of the 360-member Vulcan’s Association, discrimination
still exists within the firefighters and police departments, and
recognition for minority firefighters and other public service
employees is also lacking.
“There were a lot of African Americans and Latinos who were
killed,” Miller says about 9/11, “but there wasn’t
a lot of recognition. We hope to recognize the minority firefighters
and police that work in our community.”
It was a night not only of celebration, but of heartfelt appeals
to strengthen the community by encouraging synergy between the
public safety departments and the community. It was also a way
to look to the disaster of 9/11 and find meaning.
“The firefighters were endangering their lives, but they
did not stop. What they did that day was a dramatic display of
what they do every day,” City Councilor Chuck Turner told
those gathered. And then, bringing the significance of that day
into the present, he said, “9/11 raises a significant question,
whether in the sacrifice of those people there was a message given
— it is time to build a new way of life. A new way to live
in peace.” He went on to say, “If we are going to
deal with the violence we have to understand what causes it. We
have to change the climate. We can do it. I pray that the 5,000
people who died have not died in vain.”
Sgt. Paul Joseph, President of MAMLEO (Mass. Association of Minority
Law Enforcement Officers), told the crowd, “We’re
here for you, just as you’re here for us.”
To show the community’s support, Miller bestowed awards
on Shumeane Benford, an instructor at the Boston Police Academy
and Marlon Wright, a police officer in Area B-3, both involved
with MAMLEO (Wright is the chairman of the board), for their commitment
to ensure that people of color get the respect and service they
deserve.
Sheriff Andrea Cabral told those gathered that the day was a time
to remember not just the 9/11 disaster.
“Let us concentrate on the smaller disasters we face every
day,” She said.
Cabral also talked about the importance of re-entry programs for
offenders coming back into society from the criminal justice system,
the assault weapon ban set to expire this week, and the need for
adults to mentor children.
She closed her remarks by saying, “We must never forget
9/11 due to the unspeakable loss of so many innocents and heroes.
Let us pay tribute to their courage by healing our community,
eliminating terror from our streets, and restoring peace from
the inside out.”
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