Last month, March 3rd marked two years since the Paterson Healing Collective (PHC) lost Najee Seabrooks, who was killed by Paterson police during a mental health crisis.
Even though PHC is one of the most highly regarded programs of its kind in the country, Paterson police refused to allow their members to intervene for Najee on that fateful day when their skills and reputation meant everything!
Zellie Imani of Black Lives Matter Paterson summed it up painfully when he said, “All I need is to see some of y’all faces and hear some of y’all voices,” he pleaded on that fateful day.
To mark the anniversary of Najee’s passing, the PHC held an in-house healing of reflection, including Najee’s family to reflect on what Najee meant to them and how Najee affected them.
They did it in their healing hub, named after Najee. His large smiling angelic image energized the room and comforted everyone in it.
His mother recounted how deeply personal Najee took the work, how he brought it home with him, telling her his stories about what they were all trying to do every day.
“Najee used to come every day with stories,” she reflected heartily. “I miss that now.”
As they took turns in sharing, they each captured Najee’s huge personality. His laughter. His courage. His sharing. His love…in singular and personal ways.
Casey Melvin said it plainly, “Najee’s heart was not just gold; it was platinum.” To his team, he added and emphasized, “You guys pushed the machinery of government to make them look at what not to do and how to handle situations like that differently.”
Since its inception, PHC has helped over 330 victims of violence and has a less than 1% re-injury rate. Less than 1%! Since the loss of Najee, despite a challenging and at times hostile political and legal terrain, their work has grown, including their Healing Hub for Youth, the launch of their Leadership Academy, their neighborhood Summer Peace Challenge, and their Sam Summer Teen Academy.
All reflecting the prevention dimensions of the work in addition to their hospital-based intervention work, and how their work has led to a 50% reduction rate of gun violence victims coming through the hospital.
“His spirit made us work more with kids,” said Liza Chowdhury, their executive director, lifting Najee’s inspiration.
Dr. James Pruden, their medical director, waxed even more spiritually. “Najee brought joy, brought energy, and he embodied hope. This is why, although his earthly travels have ended, the light of his inspiration will travel in our hearts as long as we live.”
Equal Justice USA is a national partner with the Paterson Healing Collective and the NJ Violence Intervention and Prevention Coalition.
