KANSAS CITY, MO — Tamika Jenkins spends her days grieving the loss of her daughter to the never-ending, deadly violence in Kansas City, Mo.
“It’s a must you eat breakfast every day," Jenkins said Thursday. "Well, with me, it's I must cry everyday,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins' daughter, 28-year-old Jasity Strong, was murdered in June near East 57th Street and Prospect Avenue.
“It’s horrible," Jenkins said. "It's like it's a major, life-changing experience that we are going through,” said Jenkins.
Jenkins said Christmas Day will mark six months since her daughter's death and she’s saddened to see the number of lives lost as the year ends.
“If you have a funk or whatever with somebody, fight it out like with your fists," Jenkins said. "Put the guns down."
As she grieves, Jenkins says the support of the community is what help keeps her going.
“You never know who is going through the same thing you are going through,” said Jenkins.
Rosilyn Temple, founder and program director of KC Mothers in Charge, says the support is important.
Temple, who has spent years working with families who lost loved ones to violence, hopes the community can work together.
“Cause after the funeral everything is over,," Temple said. "Everything, that process, everybody goes back to what's normal and to hear people that's praying for you and supporting and hugging on you loving on you and calling out your child’s name is big and it means a lot. We as a community have more power than we think we have. We know who is doing it. We have to say something. We have to speak out,”
As someone who lost their child to homicide, Temple knows the pain of loss.
She hopes 2024 can be a year when homicide numbers plummet.
“Until we step up and address it, nothing is going to change,” Temple said.
