I don’t get to put my daughter on the bus. My son doesn’t get to sit next to his best friend.  My husband will never see his baby girl dance in another recital or graduate from college.  Her best friends, some pictured here, still ask why this happened.

Yet our hearts cry out, “LOVE WINS”.

What does LOVE WINS  mean?  It will mean different things to different people.  In our family, “LOVE WINS” is not a boast.  It doesn’t mean everything is okay.  It doesn’t make everything okay.  It is a shout to the world that in the depth of our agony and despair that keeps us broken every single day of the week- we look for the opportunities to promote love, community and connection for every child and family.  It means looking for opportunities to shine a light into a world filled with darkness and despair.

In our family it also means “doing”.   We do not get to choose what happens to us in this life.  All we get to choose are our responses.  In light of the events that tragically took our daughter’s life, we chose to partner with Klingberg Family Centers in an effort to promote love, community and connection for EVERY child and family.  We are thankful for their 100+ years experience working with children and families.  We are thankful to the thousands of people who have joined us in this cry.  We remember and we believe that EVERY life matters.  Every life is important and has potential.

We believe our Partner Schools and Professional Development Initiatives plus our Center for Community and Connection can prevent future tragedies.  We believe that reducing violence will take many forms.  Our focus is on providing HELP, HOPE and INFORMATION.  We will remember Ana. . . and we will help individuals, children and families be healthier, stronger and safer.

Missing you Caramel Princess,

Nelba Marquez-Greene