Mothers Of Murdered Children Share Memories, Trauma And Pain

Miami FL

30 September, 2021

9:32 AM

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By Emily Cardenas (Courtesy of Romania Dukes), the Miami Times Sep 28, 2021 People gathered in cities and towns across Florida and around the country Saturday to honor the memories of their loved ones on the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims, which was designated as Sept. 25 by Congress in 2007, according to Victim Support Services. The National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children offered this message in its website: "There has been so much pain and anger felt by so many people and our hope now is that we can all begin to heal together, listen to one another, and take care of each other. We offer hugs of compassion and unity as we deal with the inevitable days of struggle ahead that you or someone you love may be faced with." Healing and supporting one another was foremost on the mind of Romania Dukes, founder of Mothers Fighting for Justice in Naranja, who intentionally held a modest event at Goulds Park due to the pandemic. Her son, DeMichael Dukes, was killed by a stray bullet that wasn't meant for him at the Cutler Manor Apartments in 2014. He was 17 years old. Every mother present had a similar tragic story and the memories are still raw. "There is no expiration date on our pain. It doesn't go away. We deal with it constantly, every minute of the day. One day we have a good day, and then the next day we don't," said Dukes. "It's like a mask we wear. Sometimes I get home and I cry. I was only 10 steps away when my son was shot. I heard the sound of that bullet. I saw my son gasp for air. My son died in my arms. This is a club I don't want other moms to join." Members of Mothers Fighting for Justice holding images of their loved ones lost to gun violence, on National Remembrance Day. (Courtesy of Romania Dukes) The mothers carried photos and pillows emblazoned with images of their lost children, along with balloons they let loose to honor their souls flying off to heaven. Mothers for Justice started out as a small peer group, particularly for mothers seeking closure with the arrest of whomever killed their son or daughter. For many, justice has yet to come. But Dukes has grown into a powerhouse community activist to serve families in need year round with the meager resources she can raise through her nonprofit. "It's therapy for me … the things that I'm doing to save other at-risk kids is my therapy," she said. "Some of these kids have PTSD or they've been bullied by gang members … they drop out of school because they are afraid. I try to take them on trips to get them out of hot spots, out of the environment, and it helps." Duke also frequently takes to social media to sound the alarm in real-time against violence every time bullets fly down south – a more common occurrence with each passing day. The death of DeMichael Dukes by a stray bullet seven years ago propelled his mother, Romania Dukes, to create Mothers Fighting for Justice. "It's like we have to be our own media down here. We have gun violence every day, but there are so many excuses not to cover us," Duke said about the lack of reporting about shootings in her community. "I am here as a mother, grandmother and resident to tell the truth. It's coming from the housing situation, gambling, crime ... Miami-Dade housing is relocating people from the north to the south, creating more gang violence." According to a report in the New York Post, at least 8,600 Black lives were lost to homicide in 2020, an increase of more than 1,000 compared to 2019 – representing close to half of all homicides in the United States. Homicide ranks within the top 10 causes of death globally and is the leading cause of death in younger adults, according to Our World in Data reports. Families also gathered in Miami Gardens to commemorate the day with an emotional ceremony where children who are left without a parent or parents brought the room to tears. "If tears could build a stairway, I would walk straight up to heaven and bring you back again," said a child in an NBC6 news report whose father was killed. Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris also grew emotional while pointing to a photo of James Anderson. "This young man here was like a son … he was like a son to me." Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava attended the Miami Gardens gathering, pledging to save lives. "We turn those memories into action to make sure we stop the violence," she said. The Miami Times is the largest Black-owned newspaper in the south serving Miami's Black community since 1923. The award-winning weekly is frequently recognized as the best Black newspaper in the country by the National Newspaper Publishers Association.