Community says farewell to Jasmine Owens

Alderman Mike McGee, Jr. addresses family, community leaders and residents during the funeral of Jasmine Owens at Mason Temple COGIC. (photo by Barbara White)

Services held for Jasmine "Juicy" Owens

Flowers surround a picture of four-year-old Jasmine "Juicy" Owens in the form of a memorial at her funeral. She was fatally shot during a drive-by shooting. Her death has again raised the ire of the community and community leaders who call for an end to the senseless violence on the city’s streets. (photo by Barbara White)

by Barbara White--I-Witness Exclusive
They came out by the thousands to say farewell to a little four-year-girl who was fatally shot in the head while playing outside in front of her home.

Many who visited the New Pitts Mortuary had never met Jasmine Ariel (Juicy) Owens. But it did not stop them from coming and paying their respects, while asking the question: "When will it end? When will the killing of our children stop?

According to news reports, Jasmine was killed in a drive-by shooting as she was jumping rope in front of her home in the 2800 block of North 35th Street and West Florist Avenue. A 26-year-old male was shot in the leg. To date no one is in custody for the shooting. The young man who was shot is said to be traumatized by the experience, unaware why anyone would want to shot him.

It is my understanding that the young man had just given her a dollar for the ice cream truck before the shooting.

Jasmine would have been 5-years-old in a few days. She attended Greater Holy Temple Christian Academy. It is stated that they called her Juicy because of her fun nature and her passion for food, especially ice cream.

Many cried as they viewed the little princess dressed in a beautiful white and pink dress. The colors matched her tiny casket, as well as all of the pink and white flowers, balloons, stuffed animals and the little bike with training wheels surrounding her. Jean Ware and Lucille Berrien stood at her head and feet as her guardian elders, the angel they called "Juicy" looked gorgeous, even in death.

The many children who attended the wake cried as they filed by her casket looking at Jasmine. Mothers who viewed the body must have wondered if they might be the next mother to look down on their child. Many shook their heads as if saying, "It’s not right, children aren’t supposed to die before their parents, especially little-year-old babies."

Said one tearful mother who was holding tight to the hand of her son, "It breaks my heart."

I-Witness attended the funeral with well over a thousand people at Mason Temple COGIC to say their final goodbye. Osie Tatum was the host pastor and Arthur Kennedy was the officiating pastor.

As those who came to pay their respects waited for the family’s arrival, there were more tears and more calls to stop the violence. Mayor Tom Barrett, State Senator Spencer Coggs, Muhibb Dyer of Campaign Against Violence, Lamont Harris, Ralph Hollmon of the Milwaukee Urban League, CYD founder and president Jeannetta Robinson and other dignitaries, including many mothers of slain children, began to arrive. The family arrived in a motorcycle-led motorcade. The motorcycle escort was provided by the Number One Stunnas Sports Club.

National gospel recording artist Minister Tony Neal opened the "Home Going" with a selection as the processional of clergy, dignitaries and the family entered.

Reverend Redmond Lovelace was the Master of Ceremonies; Pastor R.V. Mills of Rehobodt Miracle Temple COGIC shared with us the "Prayer of Comfort."

Reverend Champion gave the prayer in the New Testament; Evangelist Charlene Britt rocked the house in a special selection to the family.

Regina Nelson paid tribute to "Little Juicy" with a praise dance that brought her to tears. And as she wept, the congregation clapped and sent shouts of love to her, encouraging her to continue, that it was all right. In tears, Regina began to dance again.

It was so powerful and emotional as she danced right there for Jasmine as if she was watching her and again she broke down and the church nurses comforted her. It was a beautiful and powerful dance. A true praise.

Breanna Givens, who was escorted by her father Dennis and a student at Greater Holy Temple Christian Academy where Jasmine attended school, recited a poem she had written for Jasmine:

"I’m sorry for the family of little 4-year-old Jasmine. She was always nice to me, always the one laughing...

"Everyone was shooting but she doesn’t know where to run. Just standing there thinking, ‘I wish this ice cream truck will come.’

"They turned the gun and she was shot in the head. May 14, God laid Jasmine Owens to her resting bed. This is when all the sorrow came and little Jasmine’s family hearts filled with pain.

"They reminisced on good times, when Jasmine made them laugh. The thing that Jasmine gave that they’ll no longer have, died by a bullet meant to kill another man. Instead, it hit Jasmine and she fell in God’s hand. She felt the pain but all of that had gone, when God sent down his angels to carry Jasmine home.

"Love you forever and may you rest in peace. Though I didn’t know, you as well as I would have liked too, I will never forget you."

Vicki Bingham did acknowledgements of cards and condolences. Sharay Ruby sang, "I can’t give up now. I’ve come too far and I know He would never leave me."

Jeannetta Robinson praised God and told us all that Jesus cares. "People, we need to take to the streets, take the message of God, and begin to transform people in their lives. God heals and brings joy, joy in the morning.

There were remarks by State Senator Spencer Coggs and State Representative Tamara Grisby. It was in their district in which Jasmine was killed. In tears, Grisby said, "we cannot depend on anyone else to come in and change this.

"We have to change it. What was snatched away from us perhaps Juicy could have been a doctor, teacher, or lawyer. That is what we lost. Coggs had the church shouting, ‘Stop the Violence, Stop the Violence, Stop the Violence.’"

Mayor Barrett told the gathering when he first got the call he had just put his young daughters to bed. The officer calling said to him that "this is bad Mayor," then he informed him of the shooting of Jasmine.

"My first reaction was not as the mayor, it was as a father. I felt sorrow, and then I got angry. I am groping for understanding. This is a homegoing and there should be some joy in her going home to the Lord. God put Jasmine on earth so we could understand what we need to be doing.

"History shows that when we fight together, we can change it, we changed slavery, and it was the clergy and the people of faith that made those changes (happen).

"We can leave this church and leave things unchanged or we can leave saying ‘no more.’" Barrett asked everyone to commit to changing this city saying, "We can do it. We must do it."

Alderman and Common Council President Willie Hines talked of being a child and remembering how a bullet pierced the wall of his home, adding that from that day forward his mother put restrictions on him.

"The killing of Jasmine has shaken the foundation of her family, our community and the nation," Hines said.

"I remember in the past we were able to change that ‘strange fruit’ and we must know we have the power to change this. We are in the fight for the spirit of our community.

"We must save the soul of our community. This was such a ridiculous act. We will defeat this spirit."

Speaking on behalf of her organization, President Val McCallum of the Number One Stunnas Sports Club told the family, "we will be here today, tomorrow and the next day for you. In 12 days I will be 50 and Juicy would have been 5-years-old.

"We need to be about kids. We can no longer depend on our officials, we must take the lead and they will surely follow. Let’s come together y’all."

Ralph Hollmon of the Urban League said: "We must get tough on crime and criminals but we must also start reaching out to our boys and young men before they get ‘caught up.’ We must show them another way to make money. I offer a humble prayer, Lord grant us the vision, wisdom, and the courage to come together to change this."

The church began to cheer as Alderman Mike McGee, Jr. took to the podium. The alderman, from the sixth aldermanic district, said to the family: "This was not just your child. Juicy was my child too. The children in this community belong to all of us. God is the rock that’s going to be there. We have to run the devil out of our community.

"This is not God," McGee continued. "God is not doing this in our community. You got to have some God in your life. Some of us think we are too cool for God. But let me tell you, when that weed and that can of 211 is gone, God will still be there. God lives, drugs die. God lives, drugs die.

"I know you sit and see things happening on your block and you don’t say anything and you know what’s going on." McGee then asked all those in the pews who needed a job to stand or raise their hand. McGee then said for them to put some God in their lives.

Turning to the clergy assembled in the pulpit, McGee pinched two fingers together and said, "I have faith, a mustard seed. We goin’ do it. With a little bit, we can do a lot. Remember that weed and 211. That weed will go away. God ain’t goin’ to leave you.

Reverend Lovelace followed with "Wave your hand in the air and act like you just don’t care, we can do this."

Many of the clergy spoke. Reverend Dr. Donnie Sims and Pastor Osie Tatum asked that all the men stand up. When they did, the ministers said: "This will stop when men go back into the home and start being men; taking back the role that God gave them.

"We are dealing with a moral issue here, it (the killings) will stop when men become responsible to their families. Even if you have to work two jobs, that’s what you do to take care of your family."

Family and friends did tributes of poems, kind words and song.

Terrance then addressed us, giving his condolences and those of the young man who was shot with Jasmine. Terrence said the young man is traumatized and is having a real hard time, adding that all young Black males are not thugs. "There are many of us out here who have made a mistake but have turned our lives around. But we can’t get jobs, and we are always being turned away because we have felonies."

Of course, no one gave them an answer or addressed their concerns. Perhaps it was not the proper time or maybe no one knew what to do or have the courage to do (anything). Many of the young men shared with me later that we hear all of them when they speak but, "We (the young Black males) see they don’t want to hear us."

Ruth Troop did a musical selection before Pastor Arthur Kennedy of Faith and Hope Community Church gave the Eulogy. Pastor Kennedy gave condolences to the family, "I know many of you belong to a church. But just belonging to a church is not good enough. You have gotten so high on yourself that you have forgotten to tell somebody about Jesus. You just ain’t been like this. You had some alleys you had to crawl out of and you found Jesus.

"I know, because I haven’t always been here where I am. Been there, done that. I ain’t always been here. So, quit playing. We give ourselves these titles but we are afraid to do the work. Not only is the church responsible, but y’all need to get your house in order, get your house together. God Bless."

All the clergy were very brief in words but their message was strong, find God the answer is God.

The Directors of the New Pitts Mortuary took over allowing all to say their final farewell as a video of the life of Jasmine played on the big screens in the sanctuary. Many walked by in tears and then started to place dollar bills in her casket.

Once outside everyone was given a balloon, and as they waited to be told to release them one began floating toward the sky. Many of the family members began laughing, saying Juicy just took her balloon. The balloons were released and they headed to the west.

The Number One Stunnas again lead the processional to Jasmine’s final resting place, Glen Oaks, where the prayer was said and the doves were released. It was a funny thing to see both doves flying east and a single balloon going west, as if to give direction to the doves who turned in midair and headed west.

The repast was held at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society. The food was donated by Popeye’s Chicken and a few churches. Project Respect and CYD, along with Lamont Harris and several volunteers, hosted the family. I talked with a number of the children and they expressed what they were feeling:

Kiara Lidell (14), Sherman School: "I feel sad and my heart is breaking. We shouldn’t sell guns to anybody except the police and army."

Perryahna Jackson (10), Sherman School: "It was sad and it wasn’t right. The president and the governor should go to all gun stores and take all the guns so nobody can sell them."

LaMonica Hill, a third grader at Manitoba Elementary School: "It’s sad, it’s like breaking my heart cause it’s my first time hearing a little girl getting shot. There should be no more guns. We need to just try to have a peaceful world."

Aaron Thomas (10), Milwaukee Academy of Science: "I don’t feel great. It’s bogus, it wasn’t right. I don’t believe we will necessarily stop it (the violence), but we can have more police on patrol in bad neighborhoods. Get and keep people on your block and neighborhood involved in community service or something."

Calvin Smith (40): "People should watch their children more. Education is the key, even for those who are doing it (committing crimes). We must give them some hope too because they are having problems too. We cannot lock up everybody in the world. We have to solve the problem at the root.

Niesha Miller, a second grader at Sherman School who was friends with Jasmine. The two girls hung out together and spent the night over each other’s house. "I feel bad" as she began to cry. Her sister, Nakayla Miller an eighth grader at Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School, said: "It was unnecessary. But I feel it was meant to happen ’cause God has a plan for everybody. The whole community should come together by protest, rallies, whatever it takes.

The Community Reacts

Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway along with Dr. Joan Prince of UW-Milwaukee, held a press conference signaling that many in our community do care about what happens to our children.

At the Urban League, many individuals and organizations were issued the final grants from the "Safe Alternatives for Youth" (SAY) Program.

Chairman Holloway developed the intervention/prevention program, as part of the 2003 Milwaukee County Budget. The allotment is for a pilot program that provides community-based services to young people living in low-income areas of Milwaukee County who may be exposed to barriers that could place them at-risk in their community.

Said Holloway: "Providing safe and fun activities for our youth is a top priority. I had a larger dream for SAY, but I found out the private sector did not respond to matching us in dollars. Nevertheless, the hard work of the SAY committee continued, issuing the mini grants to individuals and organizations and it has really made a difference in many children’s lives.

"In starting SAY, I went to the Board of Supervisors when the county was in a deficit which means it was hard, to get money to do anything. But I muscled and I got it. The 80 mini grants issued put money back into our own programs like the Zoo."

He stated that the efforts of those receiving the grants will not be in vain. "Taking a little money and making children happy is part of our history. You know, like when all you had to eat was Greens, cornbread and a little Kool-Aid. You can do a lot with a little; you know what it can do for you. No, we were not fat but we were strong and full."

Dr. Prince , who is the chairperson of SAY, asked what is it going to take for the community to be strong and show the youth what we--as adults--should be doing for them, even when we don’t have a lot of money. "Many believe you cannot do anything. Well they are wrong. You can take a little money and make a difference. Grantees and foundations have matched our dollars for programs and activities, safe programs.

"A small amount can carry a big stick. Eight hundred tickets to the UniverSoul Circus, sporting activities and events, cultural attraction, camping, environmental, health prevention and educational programs for children throughout the summer."

The press conference ended with the final check distributions of over $75,000 to individuals and organizations that will work with children throughout the summer. The SAY initiative will climax with a big educational and fun day at the zoo where they will also be prepared for the first of school. Holloway plans to fight for more dollars to go into the pilot program that has positively enhanced the lives of over 3,000 children in the community.

A note: The loss of OIC, which was instrumental in training, employing and working with young people and gangs has put this city in total crisis. While many bought into the hype that OIC was not serving this community, it has become quite evident now that they had a significant impact on the community and is needed now more than ever.

Fifty-eight million dollars was ripped from our community when OIC was closed. It was a moral crime. There has never been an accounting given to us or has any of our state elected representatives requested or provided information as to where the money went that we so desperately need now to help change lives and give hope and a hand up to the young people in our community.