Each day, we experience another death, another tragedy, another loss of life to violence, and we have no answers. Many people–good people–are working to help families and the community cope with the hurt and pain that comes with loss, particularly tragic loss.
As Scoop tries to support our communities, victims, and families, we have partnered with Zarinah Lomax and The Apologues to respect those we have lost by sharing portraits and brief introductions into the lives of the families that “The Apologues” has featured.
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Artist: Kalief Purrier
Reflections of My Journey, Acrylic on canvas
Co-victim: Dorothy Johnson Speight
Victim: Khaliq Jabbar Johnson
Khaaliq Johnson was murdered in 2001 at the age of 24, nearly 15 years to the day after his sister died, at age 2, of a grave illness. Khaaliq was an amazing person who left behind a legacy that has been felt from the day he transitioned. His mother, Dorothy Speight, has been a pillar in fighting gun violence and creating change within the community. She is the co-victim reflected in the portrait in honor of her son’s life and legacy within the community.
Dorothy says: When I got that call and realized what had happened, there was a pain in me and a voice that came out of me at Einstein Hospital that I didn’t recognize, that I couldn’t identify. I’ve lost my mother, father, brother, siblings, and lots of family, but there is no pain in the world like–the pain of losing a son or daughter, especially when it’s to violence.
Artist Statement: I captured the transition from her younger self to her older self over the years. This represents her strength and persistence over the years in her fight. Butterflies represent her loved one coming back to visit her. The scene with the rocky statue is because she’s a strong fighter in her hometown. She has stood up for her cause no matter what.
What is The Apologues?
The Apologues (under the fiscal sponsorship of the Federation of Neighborhood Centers) is a fashion and art exhibit that uses the arts to assist individuals in healing, empowering themselves, and advocating against gun violence and trauma that plague urban communities. Through the use of fashion, art, and music, The Apologues honors the emotions of untreated trauma through the realm of storytelling to trigger healing. We do this through the combination of self-portraits of victims and co-victims, wearable art, and musical experiences combined.
For more information and to support this initiative, visit our website, https://www.theapologues.org
