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Egonmwan calls for City to protect Black women from violence

NPHC-Chicago will host a candlelight vigil tonight (Friday, March 25, 2022) for the victims beginning at 6 PM at the 7200 block of South Vincennes to raise awareness of the violence against African American women in Chicago

African American women in Chicago are in need of protection after a series of grisly killings that were discovered during the past week, said Kimberly Egonmwan, an attorney and the host of WVON 1690 AM afternoon radio show.

Egonmwan said two murders occured within days of each other. On Wednesday, March 23, 2022, Aaliyah Newsome, 47, was found murdered in her home in the 7200 block of South Vincennes.

One week before, Tatiana Labelle, a transgender woman, was found murdered and her body was dumped in an alley in the 8400 block of South Ingleside.

In both instances, Egonmwan said, no one was taken into custody.

Attorney and WVON Radio Talk Show host Kimberly Egonmwan. Photo courtesy of WVIN

“As we have seen time and time again, the safety of Black women and girls is not being taken as seriously as are victims of other genders and race in this city,” Egonmwan said.

“Given the sheer number of Black women and girls that have been murdered, physically or sexually assaulted, or have disappeared, we are well beyond crisis point in this City and someone must be held accountable for both the actions committed against our community, as well as the lack of leadership in addressing this persistent issue.”

Egonmwan is President of the Chicago based chapter of Theta Omega, the oldest graduate Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated in Illinois which boasts 100 years of service, and Social Action Chairman of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Chicago (NPHC-Chicago), the umbrella organization of the “Divine Nine” or Black Greek organizations.

She said NPHC-Chicago will host a candlelight vigil tonight (Friday, March 25, 2022) for the victims beginning at 6 PM at the 7200 block of South Vincennes.

“We hope to give our community a chance to express their grief over losing such a vibrant member of our organization. She was someone we just served with at our AKA Regional Conference this past weekend,” Egonmwan said.

“We also want city leaders to know that under no circumstances will we continue to accept life in a city where killers are allowed to walk among us without being caught or being held accountable for the harm they have inflicted on our families. Aaliyah was loved. Tatiana was loved. We have the same right to life and to be protected as any other resident of Chicago. There must be accountability on all levels.”

Egonmwan said the organizations will also rally with Anjanette Young tomorrow at 11 am at Daley Plaza to bring needed attention to the fight for the safety of Black women and girls in Chicago.

NPHC-Chicago is co-author of the Anjanette Young Ordinance that is stalled in City Council.

For more information on the vigil contact Kimberley Egonmwan by email at [email protected].

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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