"When the beating occurred in the Kroger parking lot at Poplar and Highland a few months ago, I just wanted to do something to say 'Hey, we're all neighbors on this planet, we share it, and we need to treat people the way we want to be treated.' So I made a sign that said 'Free Hugs' and stood outside the grocery store. Reaction was positive, and I got a lot of hugs. People seemed to need that, but we have to do more. We live in a violent city, and the only way we're going to stop the violence is to stand together. There are so many small things we can do to make Memphis better. When something needs to be done, we can volunteer, but that doesn't have to mean doing something we hate. We can use our hobbies and have fun with it. One of the things some friends and I do is to build BMX ramps and teach neighborhood kids to ride. It gives them something positive to do with their time. We've all ridden bikes for years, and this is a way we can help out. This is my city. I've been here all my life, every single day. I want to do my part to make it a better place."
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