The South Side of Chicago is a war zone. In 2023, the city recorded 617 homicides and more than 2,000 shootings, with neighborhoods like Englewood and Woodlawn hit the hardest.

Just a few weeks ago, I stood over the body of a man who had been shot dead. Hundreds of young souls will be killed by year’s end.

So I was not surprised when President Donald Trump said, "Chicago's a mess. You have an incompetent mayor, grossly incompetent. And we'll straighten that one out probably next." After all, the government’s first responsibility is to protect its citizens. When endless violence continues to plague the lives of people around me, action is needed.