Due to the malicious crime that took place in my hometown, celebrity news is on the back burner for today's post.
Visiting home from NYC: It was late on Thursday evening (June 17) as I sat on the couch doing homework for my master's degree course. I looked up at the television and couldn't believe what I saw. My hometown had been hit with a malicious crime, and this crime was obviously done out of pure hatred for African American people.
Soon after, I woke my mother up and told her what had appeared on the news. I slept restlessly throughout the night, woke up Friday, called my sorority sister and that afternoon, we attended a community church service. Afterwards, we marched from the service to the Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Thursday evening, a 21-year-old Caucasian boy by the name of Dylann Roof walked into the Emmanuel African Methodist Episcabel church on the evening of June 17th with the intent to kill. Roof sat with the congregation as they prayed for an hour. At the conclusion of the church's bible study, there was a loud noise that appeared; that noise was the sound of Dylann Roof's gun firing shots. He killed nine, innocent people.
Roof stated to the congregation,
"No, you've raped our women, and you are taking over the country. I have to do what I have to do."
One of the nine victims of the shooting includes the Reverend of the church, Clementa Pinckney. The other names of the people who were killed include, Cynthia Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lance, Rev. Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Rev. Daniel Simmons, Sharonda Singleton and Myra Thompson.
My heart is heavy. Not only am I thankful that I was able to be home to show my support for my hometown, but I am also thankful that I was able to do it with fellow greek members by my side (in the photo above), including my line sister.
I love you, Charleston.
For more information, go to CNN.com.
Watch further information on the Charleston shooting below.