Sacramento Executive: Rhonda Erwin

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A few months ago I found myself on the email list of Rhonda Erwin. She wrote compellingly every few days about the number of youth that were being killed in Sacramento. She wrote that there needed to be an answer besides tracking down the killers and putting them in jail. She wrote that the city needed to step up and recognize the number of young lives that were being lost and come up with an overall plan. And she wrote and wrote and wrote.

Just the other day she wrote this:

Tyrone Rhinehart is the cousin of Lamar Alexander. Many of you may recall me mentioning Tyrone in an email nearly a year ago. Tyrone was the cousin of David Perkins murdered in 2005 and Damon Perkins murdered in 2003. At the vigil Tyrone stood off into the distance, tears filled his eyes. He told me that he has a photo of his peewee football league. He begin to name the names of the starting line up. "They are all gone", he added. "They are dead, (murdered) and the few left from the team are in jail." Tyrone is a young minister. He choked back tears as he spoke of each person one by one and how they died. Tyrone is a young man who cannot get over grieving for one friend or cousin before another one has been murdered.

Ms. Erwin has the attention now of various governmental agencies who have promised to come together to work on a solution. She (and her cause) have been recently featured in several local newspapers. She truly embodies a quote by Marion Wright Edelman I use at the end of each email I send:

“If you don’t like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time.”

Rhonda Erwin, I salute you for your dedication to eradicating the senseless death of our youth.

Gillian Parrillo
The Sacramento Executive

Comments

Thank you for Mr.Gillian Parrillo for posting these comments for Rhonda Erwin. Like you I had received from Rhonda many emails concerning the youth on youth violence in Sacramento. A few months ago we deceided to make her own special blog and post her comments and concerns.

We too hope that many will see it and not only pray for Sacramento the youth terrorism that is taking place here, but that parents, businesses, churches, educators and government leaders will plan active steps toward mitigating this terrorism.

Thank you again to Sacramento Executives blog!

Joe Walsh
Sacramento Outlook

Posted by: Joe Walsh | April 17, 2006 11:28 AM

The world needs more Rhonda Erwins. We have become so desensitized to the everyday senseless deaths, that it no longer shocks us. Rhonda takes each death personally, and has stepped forward with a call to arms to all races, creeds and religions to join forces to help our youth stay on the path to success. As human beings, I think it's the least we can do, because no one is exempt from the violence. George Visger

Posted by: George Visger | April 17, 2006 2:20 PM

What the world needs is less Rhonda Erwins. She is everything that is WRONG with this country.

We need people who are willing to lead by example. Not talk.

Our youth are being lead to jail or thier graves by parents who fail to show them right from wrong. Rhonda can screem all she wants. If you go to saccourt.com and look her up, you will see the real Rhonda. If you you look up her son, you will see youth violence (just got more than twenty years for a shooting). If you look up her sons father.... well, I can tell you what causes youth violence.

Rhonda is not to be trusted. She has made a name for herself but can not lead her own family. If she saw this she would say I am a hater, don't look behind the curtain, just follow Rhondas words. I have read them, they are insulting and less than truthfull.

So what would we have if we had more Rhonda's in the world? Look her up yourself and ask if that is what we need.

Posted by: sactowntruth | March 2, 2007 9:18 PM

SACTOWNTRUTH -

The beauty of our society is that we are founded on the notion of free speech. And here at Sacramento Executive we support free speech by publishing people's views like yours, even though we strongly disagree. My wife has met Rhonda - she is an awesome lady, given the trials and tribulations that she's endured.

I see Rhonda's work with the juvenile system and I applaud her. I see her courage in the face of racism that is so deeply rooted in America and I respect her.

I know that for every two African American men attending college there are three in prison.

I know that 45% of African Americans do not graduate from high school.

I know that exactly zero African Americans are members of the elite Dallas Country Club in Highland Park.

Why these staggering statistics? Because we as a nation allow it to occur. We are basically racist. And that's a crime against humanity.

SACTOWNTRUTH, you don't speak the truth. You speak racism and bigotry. And you didn't even have the courage to sign your name.

SACTOWNTRUTH? I think not.

Rhonda, we love you and support you.

Pierre Cutler
The Sacramento Executive

Posted by: Pierre Cutler | March 4, 2007 8:39 AM

WOW!!! There is no need to look me up on saccourt or anywhere else. I am not ashamed of who I am and MY life is an open book. I unlike many do not just talk, addressing the violence is not now nor has it ever been a business for me. From the beginning I have said the truth--addressing the violence is personal. That is why I am dedicated to the mission of effective solutions towards youth violence. Too many victims are ignored and too many of yesterday's victims become tomorrow's alleged suspects. I have learned through my son that the victims of youth violence were ignored and I am learning through my son that integrity and truth from those we are suppose to trust within the criminal court does not always exist.

I have laid my body over my child's while youth attempted to KILL him and I seen his eyes swollen in horror. I have witnessed a criminal court which has lost its integrity and hides truth behind deceit. I have raised 5 children--(as a SINGLE mother--three are my biological children) and only one has ever been involved in the juvenile court system, arrested or accused of any crime. I accepted a 24hour community service for a case where a youth stole income from me and the youth paid the money back. I open my home to many wayward youth and only once a check was stolen. I've been treated with respect from all wayward youth, even the one who stole from me changed his life because he was given a chance --he had no probation, no record....no anchor prohibiting him from succeeding. I do community service work 365 days a year ---24hours would not hurt me. The youth paid it back and assisted me in a march and rally. That's my record...I've helped youth for decades, in fact my son would not have known the youth he knew if I had not taken in homeless neighborhood youth. Sactowntruth I hide behind nothing. I would never call you a hater. My life has been hell in Sacramento just because my name appears on a few articles does not make me feel special. Addressing this crisis is not business for me IT IS PERSONAL. I want no one to ever live the horrors I have lived.

Posted by: rhonda erwin | March 4, 2007 4:26 PM