Two years ago today, I received news that one of my students had been killed by gun violence. We held a small vigil for him at school yesterday – the anniversary of his death.
It wasn’t long after learning about Kamren’s death that I started to lose a little hope. He was a wonderful student with a great family who was the unintentional victim of random gunfire. It made me wonder if the greatest support system in the world made any difference amidst the challenges of tough neighborhoods. As time went on, little things here and there renewed my hope. Still, I sometimes feel weighted down by the challenges some of my students face.
Today was a one of the renewing moments however – a gift on the anniversary of the day I got the terrible news about Kamren. It came as a comic book from a student. The student had written and drawn it himself – and chosen me as the character behind the mask. As I read through the comic, I was floored by the art, the story, and the amazingly kind gesture from my student. It was much more than a comic book – it was a big dose of hope.
Comic Book Hope
Realizing A Personal Legend Too 