KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The East Knoxville community has been through a tragic few months, after losing several teens due to gun violence. For many, tragedy isn't even an adequate way to describe it as they wrestle with anguish, grief, sadness and pain.
National faith leaders gathered to help the East Knoxville community through the tumult, helping people across the area find hope. They spoke during "Building Bridges," an event at Overcoming Believers Church on Tuesday evening.
"We need a disposition with which to approach it all," said Dr. Bernard, a national faith leader who spoke at the meeting. "So if I may leave you with a disposition, we need humility. We need the willingness to say, 'maybe I'm wrong' ... We need empathy because empathy is facilitated once we understand context and history ... No one superhero or messianic figure is going to make all this go away."
He is the pastor of the Christian Cultural Center Megachurch in Brooklyn, New York City with more than 37,000 members. Most of his message centers around fostering relationships and starting important conversations.
Most importantly, his message focuses on holding onto hope to persevere through pain.
This year, Knoxville is on track to set a record for the number of deaths due to gun violence. Many students who attended Austin-East Magnet High School lost their lives just this year. Anthony Thompson Jr. was also fatally shot during a confrontation with police in one of the school's bathrooms.
"We have to act based on what will work, instead of just doing stuff," said Nona Jones, who also spoke at the event. "Don't allow what you see in media to be your final authority."
Anyone who wants to watch the full event can watch it on Facebook.