Beautiful acts of kindness and compassion often surface in the wake of tragedy, and that is what’s happened in Charleston, South Carolina over the past week, throughout the community and beyond.
“You know, the antidote for hate is love,” said Minister Joyce Wright at a prayer vigil Monday attended by members of both black and white churches. “The cure for hate is togetherness.”
Instead of retribution, Alana Simmons, whose grandfather was killed in the church shooting, is calling for compassion on social media by creating a powerful hashtag: #HateWontWin. She, along with her family, is asking everyone to post pictures that depict people spreading love and compassion to demonstrate that human beings are capable of “more than hate.”
“We are here to combat hate-filled actions with love-filled actions,” Simmons told the New York Times. “And that is what we want to get out to the world.”
Families have responded by writing songs of hope, painting pictures, and delivering flowers. A 7-year-old girl who lives just miles away from Emanuel AME Church, is honoring the victims through her artwork, while a white singing group in North Carolina has recorded a song called, All Good People.
Other local children have shared their messages of love and support for the victims and their families, bringing flowers, posters and artwork to a growing memorial at the base of the church.
The Mother Emmanuel Hope Fund, a website set up by the city of Charleston to collect donations, has raised nearly $700,000 for funeral expenses for the victims and for the AME Church.
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The NFL football team Carolina Panthers donated $100,000 to the fund. Team owner Jerry Richardson sent a letter asking that $10,000 go to each of the families and that the remaining $10,000 be used for a memorial at the church.
$100,000 has been donated to the newly developed Lowcountry Ministries / Reverend Pinckney Fund, to be put towards the at-risk youth projects he championed as leader of the church.
Photo: Hate Won’t Win Facebook
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Everyone in Charleston is in my thoughts and prayers. God is great always and watching over everyone during this difficult time. GOD BLESS EVERYONE!:) Amazing eulogy by President Obama today!