RACINE COUNTY, Wis. — Friday night's basketball game at Yerstad Acherholm School in Racine began with a moment of silence before the jump ball.
“We use basketball as a way to attract people,” Nakeida Hamer said. “While we have your attention, we are talking about reducing violence and honoring those who lost their lives.”
Hamer is Racine County's Violent Crime Reduction Coordinator and leader of Voices of Black Mothers United (VBMU).
For the third year, VBMU is hosting Bigger the Basketball, an annual event that brings together law enforcement, Racine area youth and other community members on one court.
Hamer said the event was held during National Crime Victims' Rights Week and was aimed at helping people break down barriers and look past stereotypes on both sides.
“We want people to know that just because the police aren’t going to arrest them, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in danger. We need to partner with each other as we move towards stopping violence and violence. , to see it as a human being,” she said. Keep our community safe. ”
For Friday night's game, police officers like Zachary Brenner changed from their official uniforms to team T-shirts, and area youth and police played side by side.
“It just brought the community closer together,” Brenner said. “We can feed from them, they can feed from us, and we can build relationships here and on the streets for us officers.”
Hamer said the event has grown over the years and hopes the community connection continues long after the final buzzer sounds.
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