Two Mothers in Pain Plea for Peace and End to Gang Violence City, School, County, and Federal Officials Working Together in Duarte

Jeanette Chavez and Shannise Davey are each mothers who have experienced pain and loss at the hand of senseless gang related violence. The two, one Hispanic and one African American, came together in Duarte (June 1) to plea for peace and urge the community to work together to put an end to the gang violence that took Chavez’s daughter Sammantha’s life last year in the unincorporated area of Monrovia, and three weeks ago destroyed the sanctity of Davey’s Duarte home, the object of a vicious hate crime attack.

The two women spoke at a “Call for Peace” news conference at Duarte City Hall coordinated by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations and the City of Duarte in response to recent incidents of gang violence in the area.

“We can not expect law enforcement to do this alone. We need to get involved. If you see a crime, report it. When I read in the newspaper about Shannise I said this is unacceptable. People are afraid to come forward. We need to get involved. Law enforcement can not do this without you,” said Chavez who volunteers much of her time to work with other victims of gang crime.

Davey, the single mother of four children, ages 14, 7, 3, and 1, walked into her Broach Ave. home on the evening of May 8 to find it had been burglarized, ransacked and vandalized with racial slurs and gang symbols spray-painted on the walls and furniture. Since then the family has been afraid to return to the home and is currently living in temporary shelter outside of the city.

“It’s kind of hard to pick up the pieces,” said Davey. “No parent should have to experience this. We should be able to call home, home. I don’t have that opportunity anymore. We don’t have anywhere to go. It’s time for all to step up and stand together as one.” 

Davey said she holds no hate in her heart for those responsible for the vandalism to her home. “I’d probably put my arms around them and hug them. Their souls are lost right now,” she said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Hate Crime Unit and the FBI are investigating the incident but have no specific suspects as yet, although they are receiving many anonymous tips. On May 14, a week following the vandalism attack, Sheriff’s deputies initiated a parole compliance search at 10 locations and made five arrests, none connected to the incident.

On May 19, there was a non-fatal gang-related shooting of an African American male by a Hispanic male at Beckville St. and Broderick Ave. in Duarte. There were many people on the street but none have come forward with information. The next day, the victim and two other gang members were arrested with guns in their car.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s are working closely with the Los Angeles County Parole to track who is coming out of prison, interview them and have them sign a gang stipulation that leads to a charge enhancement should they violate their parole.

Both Chavez and Davey called on parents to take more responsibility for their children.

“Parents need to step up and be parents,” said Davey. She urged parents to take advantage of the many positive programs that the city has available for children. 

Chavez concurred. “There are a lot of kids out there who are lost. We need to stop making excuses not to put our children in these programs,” she said.

Duarte City Mayor John Fasana said the City of Duarte features more than 100 family centered programs and services on the www.duarteyouth.org website, including the Duarte Area Resource Team mentoring program for teens, Youthworks, Duarte’s Promise: The Alliance for Youth, the Duarte Youth Boxing Program, Moonlight Basketball, and a full year-around Parks and Recreation schedule.

Fasana said the City and School District are also stepping up additional efforts to reach kids with the important message of racial tolerance.

•    Recently the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s SHARE Tolerance trailer visited Duarte High School. The trailer houses a mobile museum and screening area for a documentary offering insight into the impact of hate crime through the eyes of victims. The SHARE Tolerance trailer is also scheduled to visit Mount Olive High School in Duarte.
•    Duarte City Council has enhanced the Teen Center budget for the upcoming fiscal year to increase program and recreational opportunities for Duarte Teens.
•    The Duarte Teen Center will soon be launching a Teen Center Diversity Training Workshop conducted by Teen Center Supervisor Marilyn Mays for teens to build skills in problem solving, help them find commonality with others and honor each others differences.
•    Also being launched is a Teen Talk program on June 6 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Duarte Teen Center.
•    Duarte Public Safety is developing an after school program targeting at-risk students with special emphasis on Mount Olive students.
•    Duarte Parks and Recreation is initiating a Youth and Family Master Planning Process in the upcoming fiscal year.
•    City of Duarte has created 30 youth jobs for summer 2009 with funds made available through the Foothill Workforce Investment Board.
•    The City recently co-hosted a student leadership academy with L. A. County Office of Education including students from Duarte High School, Mount Olive High School and Northview Intermediate.

Anyone with information about a crime may contact the Temple Sheriff’s Station at (626) 448-9861, or may leave information on the Duarte Public Safety Department Anonymous Tip Line at (626) 359-5671, ext. 462.