Longtime violence prevention activist Brother Carl Hardrick recalled a young man he was called to see at Saint Francis Hospital. He went upstairs and saw the poor condition the young man was in.
After seeing him, Hardwick sensed how dire his condition was and even told the doctor he did not think the young man would survive.
The young man died as a result of community violence.
The story that Hardrick shared is one of many that prompted him and Hartford Communities That Care Executive Director Andrew Woods to come out to the “Prayer with Purpose” community event held by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.’s Beta Sigma Lambda Chapter of Hartford, as the two are in the trenches of helping victims of community violence.
In front of the Woodland entrance of Keney Park in Hartford, fraternity, sorority, community leaders and members gathered to pray for a safe summer for the youth in the city. As a Black man and chair of the Beta Sigma Lambda Fraternity’s Social Action committee, Charon Smalls said that he felt compelled to have this event happen in the heart of Hartford.
“So over the last month, we just (wanted to do something) that was impactful from a spiritual level, (as) many of us are believers. We are people of faith. We believe that it takes, not only to have that intervention from God, but also to motivate us (to action),” Smalls said. “So you heard a lot of the charges, about us making sure that it’s not just about speaking on these words, but also living them.”
The fraternity works throughout the year to make sure that they are living their faith out loud by having educational and youth programming designed to make sure that local kids get into college. Some of the activities have included an annual fishing trip for kids in Hartford County, an online tutoring program for youth during the COVID-19 pandemic and other experiences around scholarship and education. This year, they have helped four local high school students to go to college.
The Rev. Sylvester Turner Jr., a fraternity member, was the one who helped make Small’s vision of the prayer event come to life. He noted the importance of hosting the prayer event.
“When Charon asked me to put together something for the community, in regards to prayer for the summer, I thought it was going to be a task to split responsibility,” he said. “After a while it started, you know, God laid on my heart how to go about it. I just felt it necessary that the community leaders, the faith based communities, the DN9 organizations, families and members of the community come together. The Bible talks about two or three being gathered, God is there. So if he’s there, we believe that (and) we pray.”
Turner also noted the responsibility that the community has to pray for the children for the summer.
“It’s really … just making sure that we did our part, as community members, to pray over our kids. If no one prays over them, then who will? We have a duty and a responsibility to do that, and that’s what it’s really about,” he said. “Whether it’s five people here, or (a) bunch of people, we just want to let our youth and our families know that regardless of how things look, we the community members are here to support, pray and push them forward into their purpose and what God has called them to do.”
A highlight of the event was Pastor AJ Johnson of Urban Hope Refuge Church in Hartford, who charged the men in the crowd to commit to mentor a young man age 18-24 and the parents to love their children harder.
“There’s young folks right here in Martin Luther King school, who (have) never been anywhere, but G.A. 14 (court) on Lafayette Street, who’s never had the opportunity to expand their borders out of these 18 square miles,” Johnson said.
“So, I want to challenge you all to engage that 18- to 24-year-old age group. … I want to charge the parents to love harder. You’re probably saying … don’t tell me how to love my son or my daughter, or my child or my kids. Don’t tell me how to do that, because I’m doing a fantastic job, and indeed you are.
“You’re doing an amazing job, but what you also have to understand is that when your children leave you, they’re out of your space for six to eight hours a day being taught by other people. … I want us to love our children, past those moments when they come home and don’t look like what we raised them to be … so they won’t have to find love (in) any other place, but the home that you created for them.”
