by Rhonda Gillespie May 5, 2010
Dozens of women fed up with the violence and carnage within the Black community have taken to the streets and taken on a biblical name, as a show of strength and solidarity. They marched April 28 near The Black Star Project offices, a community action organization, near 35th Street and King Drive.
The I Am Deborah Movement includes women who want to model the strength and tenacity of the biblical prophetess Deborah mentioned in the Book of Judges. Deborah was said to wage and win battles for God that men would not fight, according to a written statement the group released before the march.
Dozens of women fed up with the violence and carnage within the Black community have taken to the streets and taken on a biblical name, as a show of strength and solidarity. They marched April 28 near The Black Star Project offices, a community action organization, near 35th Street and King Drive.
The I Am Deborah Movement includes women who want to model the strength and tenacity of the biblical prophetess Deborah mentioned in the Book of Judges. Deborah was said to wage and win battles for God that men would not fight, according to a written statement the group released before the march.
"She had orders from God to take care of her people. So we took that and we're running with it," Africa Porter-Ollarvia told the Defender. She is one of the leaders of the movement and a longtime volunteer at the Black Star Project.
"These are our children dying," said Porter-Ollarvia, who explained that finger-pointing as to who or what is the reason for the violence was not the group's goal.
"We just want to take full responsibility and accountability; galvanize, organize and strategize to save our people's lives. ... As women, we're taking this into our hands because, you know, we're the ones that are carrying all these babies."
Another of the movement's leaders, Nefra Burlock, explained that one of the other missions the group has is to hold others in the community "who call themselves leaders" accountable.
She told the Defender that I Am Deborah is an attempt to address the "tired and outdated state of our community."
"We just want to take full responsibility and accountability; galvanize, organize and strategize to save our people's lives. ... As women, we're taking this into our hands because, you know, we're the ones that are carrying all these babies."
Another of the movement's leaders, Nefra Burlock, explained that one of the other missions the group has is to hold others in the community "who call themselves leaders" accountable.
She told the Defender that I Am Deborah is an attempt to address the "tired and outdated state of our community."
The march last month came shortly after two state leaders made an appeal for the National Guard to step in and help stem the violence in some of the city's neighborhoods.
Police Supt. Jody Weis immediately rejected the idea, saying that violent crime occurs only in a small percentage of the city's neighborhoods. The police chief continued to urge citizens to get more involved in helping the police solve and tackle violent crimes, especially shootings, by breaking what he called a code of silence.
I Am Deborah is calling on women - and men - to help with safety patrols, mentor, tutor and encourage families to urge their members to stop the violence.
On Mother's Day, the group will be "walking in solidarity" at 1:30 p.m. in Brainerd Park "to stop the violence and take a stand on our community and our people," Porter-Ollarvia said.
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