At a healing vigil held on Saturday in Riverside’s Memorial Park, local crime victims came together to show support for one another.
The vigil paid tribute to family members and friends who had been taken from them by criminal acts, and it was held as a part of the 5th annual Survivors Speak Healing Vigil Day of Action. This event marked the conclusion of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
“We provide a safe space for them so that they can heal,” Feletta Smith said.
This is the focus of the activities carried out by the local chapter of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice.
Feletta Smith is one of the survivors who is also a member of the gang.
In 2004, Thomas Bevel shot Smith many times. Smith survived. In addition, he was responsible for the deaths of his roommate and the man’s son, who was 13 years old.
Although he was tried and found guilty, Smith attended a hearing for him this month.
According to Smith, going to court is “like reliving what happened to me.” “Every time I go to court, it’s like reliving what happened to me,”
However, because she is a survivor, Feletta shared her story with others on Saturday during a vigil that was held in support of and to remember victims of crimes. The vigil was attended by local leaders, other survivors of crimes, and the families of victims.
Feletta said that their community chapter has assisted over 200 survivors and that they intend to continue doing so in the future.
Leave a Reply