REGINA – On Saturday morning close to 100 people marched from Cree Land Mini Mart to the Peace Fountain at City Hall. It’s an effort by “My Life Matters” to bring awareness to the pain caused by gang issues in Regina.
“Awareness that our children are being lost, our children are being stolen, kidnapped, raped, murdered, everything. My son…I’m still waiting on answers,” said organizer Richelle Dubois.
Her son Haven was found dead in Pilot Butte Creek in May this year. After nearly six months she is still waiting for answers, as to what happened to her son. This is why she and her colleagues organized the march.
“For me this is part of trying to keep awareness that I’m still here, my family is still here, and we still want answers to what happened to my son,” said Dubois.
Haven’s death was ruled not criminal, but his mother believes he was being pressured to join a gang.
Participants marched to show young people that there is a life outside of gangs in the inner city. Many marchers personally bare the wounds of a loved one who was senselessly taken. Margret Palletier-Hughes’ son, Richard Lowe, was killed near the 7-11 at Retallack Street and Dewdney Avenue in 2006.
“I wish it would stop, and people should not be afraid to come forward to tell people. If they see something, like my son, nobody has been charged in this yet, and that’s 9 years,” she said.
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Now she takes care of her son’s three daughters. Palletier-Hughs came to the march to share her story because she wants to see a bright future for her granddaughters.
“We don’t want to see that keep going on. It’s gotta stop somewhere.”
This march marked the beginning of My Life Matters. Dubois and her partners are planning to continue sharing their message with the community.
“There is resources out there, but it’s how accessible are they to the children?” Dubois asked rhetorically. “Some of them I’m finding out I didn’t even know existed. So I guess trying to bring more light to these resources”
My Life Matters plans to release a brochure within a month to community centres throughout Regina with a list of service young people can contact if they feel they are in trouble.
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