KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. She also covers stories in the Northland. Share your story idea with La’Nita.
There have been 124 homicides so far this year in Kansas City, Missouri. Community leaders gathered Friday gathered to discuss solutions at a stop the violence event.
Maurice Hughes shared his personal trauma at the event in hopes of helping others avoid a similar tragedy.
"Never in a million years would you think it would happen to you," Hughes said.
Hughes lost his 17-year-old daughter Amauri to domestic violence almost two years ago. She was a senior at Grandview High School when she was murdered by her boyfriend.
"Our daughter, she was murdered, she was shot, she was stabbed, beaten, brutally beaten," Hughes said.
Despite his grief, Hughes now shares his family's story to advocate for change.
"We as a people have to come together," Hughes said. "That's the only way things will change as far as being able to speak our voice and let our voices be heard."
The Black Archives of Mid-America hosted Friday's event with the theme "Saving Our Community." There were faith leaders, trauma experts, violence survivors and grassroots organizers who offered their opinions on how the city can reduce violent crime.
Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw expressed optimism about addressing the city's violence problem through collective action.
"I don't have fear that we won't be able to solve this," Parks-Shaw said. "I think it just takes us all working together, rowing in the same motion at the same time and I believe we can address the violence in Kansas City."
For Hughes, speaking publicly about his loss serves a dual purpose of helping others while processing his own grief.
"I'm not really a big public speaker, but for me to get up there and share my story, it may help other people; it even helps me as far as my grieving goes just to express this and get it off my chest."
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