September 11th is a difficult day for all of America and even more difficult for New Yorkers. On September 11, 2011, it became the worst day ever for the family and friends of 18 year old Tayshana Murphy.
According to the Yahoo.com, Tayshana Murphy, nicknamed Chicken, was shot in killed in Harlem’s Grant Houses housing project at approximately 4:10a.m. on Sunday morning. The 5 foot 6 inch guard, was a senior at New York (N.Y.) Murry Bergraum High school and was considered to be one of the top recruiting prospects in the country. She had received recruiting interest from multiple universities and had dreams of using her skills on the basketball court to create a future for herself and to help her family escape the housing projects that claimed her life. By all accounts, Tayshana was murdered due to a case of mistaken identity. She was attending a party in the Harlem Grant Houses housing project wearing a hooded sweatshirt when she was chased by the gunman. Tayshana’s sweatshirt allegedly matched the sweatshirt of the targeted victim thus being mistaken for someone else. One of Murphy’s close friends said that she was pleading for her life prior to being shot saying “No, please, I don’t have nothing to do with it.”
Allow me a moment of seriousness. Stories like this happen every single day. It’s never any less heartbreaking to see anyone cut down in the prime of their lives but what are we going to do about it? Collectively, we all say “it’s a shame” and we want justice but how long will Tayshana’s tragic outcome last with us before the next Kobe Bryant, Beyonce or Kim Kardashian story comes along and helps us forget? We can make a difference. I hope more than anything that Tayshana’s bright future wasn’t taken from her in vain.