Deirdra
I have been living in North Chicago majority of my life. I'm 32 years old. And with all [this violence] and stuff recently... it's ridiculous. It wasn't like that growing up, and it's scary. Growing up, it was nice and peaceful. The neighbors looked out for you. Now, everybody's scared of everything. It ruins it because there's no togetherness. When you go outside you just shuffle and bustle. You just want to get in, get out, and don't look at nobody.
My sister was tragically murdered eight years ago. I'm still mourning. She was tragically killed in her home. She got her master's degree. She did everything right. We don't know who did it. We woke up and she was dead. Everyone's told us, "Oh, move on. Blah, blah, blah." It's always on my mind. Her name is on my wrist. I see her every day. She's my motivation. I hope that my sister is looking down on me and seeing that I'm trying to make the best of everything, even though I'm hurt. I just hope that she knows I'm doing my best, but I don't know if my best is good enough. Whoever did this to her, they don't scare me. I'm still going to walk. I'm still going to hold my head high.
Everybody told me; "Life goes on. Life goes on. Life goes on." I didn't feel it. But at the end of the day, I still have to live my life. So, life does go on.
What's your fondest memory of North Chicago?
My fondest memory is the block parties. Nobody was scared and everybody knew everybody. My birthday is at the end of August. My mom, she was a cheapskate, so my birthday party was the block party! As I got older I realized… all she brought was the was the cake!
Do you have a motto or credo you live by?
Yes. Whatever you put into the ground, that's what you grow. So if you just put negativity out, that's all you're gonna get. If you don't believe in love, you'll never find it.
Is that something you were taught, or something you discovered for yourself?
I was around a lot of negative people and I noticed it was just all negativity. I didn't want that. So I said if ever God blessed me with kids, I want to sow good, good, good soil. So they can grow; with with nurturing, good people.
This conversation has been edited and condensed.