Sometimes you need that extra jolt of energy--that reminder that nothing worthwhile in this life comes easy. Maybe you have a lot of work to finish, or you are faced with some adversity in your life. No matter what it is, take a deep breath, remember that you've faced and overcome similar challenges in your life, and then get to work. This is the overwhelming message in Ace Hood's 2011 banger, "Hustle Hard", and it's a message that all of us need in this particular moment. If there's any silver lining in the aftermath of the Trump election, it's that so many people are getting involved in small and big ways. We can all make a difference and it starts with rolling up your sleeves and doing something locally.
I met Bette and her oldest son, Joey, during a death penalty trial in Center City. It was the sentencing phase for the two men who killed her youngest son, Timmy, who was gunned down execution-style when he was 15. Caroline, an advocate with the Families of Murder Victims, introduced us. "Bette, this is Jooyoung. He's a researcher and wants to interview you." Joey sized me up and seemed protective of his mom, who had already been through so much. Her eyes were red from crying, so I said, "I'm really sorry to hear about what happened." She smiled a little and said in her Tacony accent, "Thank you. It's been such a long day. But, call me whenever, sure." I spent the next day with Bette and her family at the courthouse and visited them weekly over the next year. I hadn't planned on following the families of murder victims, but my ongoing research in Philly had pushed me in this direction. While getting to know gunshot...
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