My only child Tiarah was murdered at the J’ouvert Festival in Brooklyn, New York, on September 5, 2016. She was shot right above her right eye because she said NO to advances by a 20-year-old. Since then I’ve worked with the Mayor’s office and other government officials to change J’ouvert. The past two years no one has been murdered at the festival due to these changes.
After losing my daughter I thought I’d never be a grandmother. Someone who came to her vigil became real close to me, and we stayed connected through social media Facebook. Last year this young lady name Ciara Dakota had a son. Because of my newfound love for them, I claimed her son as my “Facebook Grandson.” After meeting, sharing memories, I feel a void has been filled that I never thought possible.