SGL Café ...

Twenty-three weeks ago yesterday ...

Dwan Prince was bludgeoned into a coma.

We all know the story. It sent shivers through the community and gay activists into a tizzy calling for an end to the violence and murder of same gender loving people. Now … long after the news vans have careened toward more timely tragedies and with violence against gay youth shockingly still on the rise, Dwan and his mom, Valerie Prinez, wage a lone battle with the aftermath of hate. NY Blade reporter, James Withers, who has diligently followed the case, writes ... “Dwan Prince sits in a wheelchair in his mother’s living room. He is a fan of professional wrestling and watches the television smiling. Prince’s hair is cut short, and it’s impossible not to notice the pink and white scars that cover his head. Down the middle of each are the delicate impressions left from stitches.

... When Prince talks, his words emerge slowly and with deliberate labor. His days are now spent with speech and physical therapies, hoping he can get back the life he had as a construction worker before the night in early June when three men decided to get out of their car and pommel Prince, leaving him in a coma.” I was shocked and saddened when I read that: Shocked that I’d let Dwan Prince slip into my subconscious, assuming, well … at least they caught that animal (Pomie) and he’s being punished for his crime ... and saddened over how quickly I'd allowed my outrage to mellow into indifference. Never once did I wonder how the family was doing ... or if they needed any help.

As it turns out, they do need help. Some wounds aren’t mere scratches and take much longer to heal … if they ever do.

Valerie Prinez knows that all too well. “...She also points to indifference, from politicians and from her own religion. As a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church, Prinez was dismayed when her minister refused her cries for help. The reason: He found out her son is gay, and wanted nothing more to do with her.” Withers continues … “… She has turned into his primary caregiver. Her bank account is depleted; she filed for bankruptcy and faces eviction. She is now on unpaid leave from her employer, which is a double-edged sword. It lets her help her son, but means no money is coming in. And her employer would like her back by December.” All this has made me wonder, who can victims of violence turn to for longer-term support? There are groups out there I’m sure, but apparently they aren’t doing very much. We as a community rally around our martyrs and their families when these injustices occur, when unconscionable acts take the lives of our young and innocent. But what about the survivors? What about the long-term suffering of innocents like Dwan and his mom? Will we just ignore their continued struggles, while quibbling over seemingly inconsequential things like whether Johnny Gill is gay … or if the Queen will ever step up? There but for the grace of GOD ... is what my grandmother would always say. She was right too. Dwan could easily be me, and his wheelchair … it could easily be yours. Time and time again it is proven that no one is gonna look after us ... but us. Dwan and his mom need our help now. Our community has resources and talents that we have yet to tap, let alone consolidate. Can we pull together to help this struggling mom? I know we can ... ‘cause despite our bickering and differences in style and tactics, when you get right down to it ... we are ALL THAT and a bag of skittles. I chatted with James Withers and acquired the mailing address of Valerie Prinez, Dwan’s mom. Though with all the kooks out there, we both agreed not to publish the address because the last thing this family needs is more drama or worse, a visit from the lunatic fringe. But Valerie & Dwan desperately need our help. So … if you can offer any services, advice, guidance, financial aid (no matter how small) or anything to be of assistance to Dwan Prince and his mother, contact me and I’ll give you the mailing address. The system doesn’t care about the Dwan Prince’s of the world or their mothers, but we certainly do. Let’s put our heads together to help Dwan and his mom get their lives back. Let's show the world we won't be beaten down, and teach one so-called Christian at the Mount Olive Baptist Church ... what charity, love, and support are all about.