Last Saturday night, I was assaulted by three men after helping to break up a four-on-one fight outside of Lil Woody’s restaurant on Capitol Hill. This resulted in a black eye, severe swelling, a concussion, and a broken cheek bone (I’m booked for surgery next Thursday to correct it). However, this is not the message I wish to share.

Instead, I wish to shed light on the value of health and safety. It’s unbelievable how quickly life can shift and we can’t afford to lose sight of what’s important. I risked my health to do what I thought was right. I don’t regret that for a second. I do, however, regret the sad and violent state of our local communities. My experience has only brought about recent memories of similar, if not more violent, occurrences from my friends and family. My point being, I’m not the only one.

Contrary to popular belief, I do not seek revenge. I refuse to contribute to the statistic of 18-30 year-old minority males who exhibit violent behavior that resulted in my current condition. My sense of justice is not “an eye for an eye,” but rather, lesson learned and action taken. I’m asking for your assistance in taking said action.

It’s time to step up and affect change in our increasingly dangerous backyards. House by house, neighborhood by neighborhood, let’s all take strides to build safer communities. It’s not worth risking our collective health and safety to sit in silence. Please help me in sharing this message.

Take care and be safe.