Meet our friend and activist Ms. Sharon Redding. I’m not alone in seeing her as a pillar of her city. She’s worked for the Newark Community Street Team since 2016 as a community advocate. Ms. Sharon is a vital voice connecting her community and its concerns with city and state leaders to build community safety and change the world. She is a consistent voice in Public Safety Roundtables, where she holds officials at every level of government, from the mayor and the chief of police, accountable for their responsibilities. Just as important, she brings information back to her neighbors to help them thrive, such as what NCST’s trauma recovery center offers or how to access other healing supports. Here are her own words on Newark and the future of public safety:
“I see a future of neighbors, community leaders, law enforcement, and the empathy we have for each other, all of us working together to keep everyone safe. I want my grandchildren and the children of our communities to go to school and play outside and to be safe as a Community — without being subject to gun violence, being assaulted, or hit by a stolen car. I see our Community getting stronger as the next generation understands the effects of trauma and knows what public safety in public hands means. As an elder in the Community, this is not a “Dream.” I see it as Reality for my neighborhood. Amen!!”
We’re so grateful for Ms. Sharon for her caring spirit, tenacity in holding leaders accountable, and willingness to support those in need of healing. Ms. Sharon is the TRUTH!
