Philadelphians Find Nature On The Pathway To Healing From Gun Violence

The way survivors and co-survivors of gun violence are taught to heal from gun violence can be formulaic: talk to your loved ones, seek therapy, and take anti-anxiety medications. But the path to healing isn’t the same for everyone, and these solutions aren’t a fix-all. For many folks seeking a remedy to the emotional pain they have experienced, the key has been access to nature and green spaces.

Our Unbreakable Best: Healing Beyond the System

“I want my story to show others that healing is possible, no matter where you start.”

A profound statement, rooted in love and a deep belief in all things good, from educator and activist Victoria Best.

Now forty-five, Best was thrust into the Philadelphia foster care system after being separated from her biological mother at age 2. On a journey where resilience and survival became necessities, she quickly learned the difference between shelter and belonging after she and her brother were taken in by her uncle’s family.

AAries Rising: Healing In Perfect Harmony

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Philadelphia was the cradle of the Neo Soul Movement. More than a genre, a new group of homegrown musicians, sirens, and wordsmiths created a vibe and culture that was best experienced live in clubs, coffee shops, and basements. They blended the groove of Gamble & Huff with the grit of 90s Hip-Hop, the experimentation of Jazz with the spirit of a COGIC (Church of God and Christ) service, and the poetry of The Black Arts Movement with the fashion of Soul Train. In that moment, Philly birthed a n