Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 24 UCW SEPTEMBER 7 - 13, 2022 Annual Heal the Ville event seeks to end violence in Fayetteville by LAURA BROWNE EVENT LAURA BROWNE, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcom- ingweekly.com. (910) 484-6200 Recollecting when she lived in Daytona, Florida, Demetria Murphy recalled seeing a house made out of glass from top to bottom. e notion of the house made her realize that all individuals live in glass houses, she said; though actions can be observed, the full truth behind those actions can not be heard. Some things which remain unheard could possibly push young people to join gangs, Murphy said. Murphy seeks to curb the often unheard issues that can cause vio- lence with an event of which she is an organizer, Heal the Ville. e event is designed to educate and connect community members with resources to reduce violent crime in Fayetteville while also bringing awareness to gun violence. Heal the Ville originally took place last year, a gathering that Murphy said brought out over 200 people. is year's event will serve the com- munity with resources for housing, employment, treatment for substance abuse, religion and mental health, Murphy said. A key takeaway Murphy said she wants to see is employment, as a steady income can help prevent crime. Additionally, Murphy said she wants the event to empower the youth in the community to feel important and willing to walk away from harmful influences. "I want children walking away from there feeling very strong and that their voices are important and that they have the solution to help fix some of what's going on," Murphy said. Vendors will also be present at the event. A simulated crime scene will serve as an additional feature of the event, demonstrating the horrific effects violence can have for those in attendance to see. Murphy said she hopes the event helps motivate people to get involved in efforts to stop violence before they become affected by it. Michelle Ford, one of the workers and supporters for Heal the Ville, said she hopes the event inspires positive action in addition to discussion. "I'm hoping instead of just talking about the problem that we can start focusing on trying to change things here in Fayetteville," Ford said. is year, Murphy said she wants the event to educate the commu- nity on the impact violence has on children. ough deaths caused by violence affect community members, the trauma doesn't fade for the fami- lies affected. "When the dust really clears, we go back to our normal," Murphy said. "We go back to work, we go back to doing whatever it was that we were doing, but that family still has that hole, that loss. So making people aware that that pain does not stop for that family." Ford said she believes the event could cause tangible change in the community by reducing the number of deaths caused by violent crime. "If we can at least begin the dia- logue and then begin to understand why we do what we do or why we shouldn't do what we have been doing all these years, and then start working toward changing everything around. I think if we can key on those issues during this event [then] this time next year we won't be seeing the same high numbers that we do now," Ford said. Heal the Ville will take place on Sept. 10 at Festival Park in Fayetteville starting at 12 p.m. 439 WESTWOOD SHOPPING CENTER FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28314 910-860-1220 STORE2974@THEUPSSTORE.COM FORT BRAGG MINI-MALL REILLY ROAD 910-436-7877 STORE4787@THEUPSSTORE.COM The UPS Stores – Veteran Owned/Operated Send print projects to print2974@gmail.com COMING TO HOPE MILLS LATER IN 2022 Print & Business Services Westwood & Fort Bragg faxing shipping mailboxing notarizing signing shredding blueprinting designing freighting plaqueing brochuring boxing engraving packing copying printing