Bradenton salon owner adds domestic violence awareness to summer camp for teens after deadly shooting spree
BRADENTON, Fla. - Cosmetologist Sequoya Brown taught teens how to install wigs on Wednesday at a Bradenton salon. Her class was one of several at Yamies Divine Beauty Bar this week that’s part of owner Kathleen Moore’s summer camp.
"My idea was to have intro classes so they can get a taste of everything, so they can see what they're strong or weaker in, so they know which direction to go in," Moore said.
Instructors taught the teens how to do hair, nails, waxing and more at the camp. They also learned some important life lessons.
"Teen dating violence, domestic violence, does not discriminate," Kimberly Williams from Hope Family Services, told the teens during a presentation Wednesday.
"It is widespread. It's happening every day. It's something that needs to be an awareness in our community. People need to wake up. People need to speak up, because it's very vital to know what those warning signs are and how to help them," Williams said.
Moore said she decided to add a mental health and domestic violence presentation to the camp after a 28-year-old man killed his mother, his cousin and his ex-girlfriend’s new partner in June.
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"It impacted everybody because we have people that are in and out of the salon that were related. We have people that came yesterday that were related. We have kids in the camp that are related. You can't fix things like that. You just have to deal with it," Moore said.
Javontee Brice was on his way to Georgia, where another ex-girlfriend lived, when Hamilton County deputies tried to pull him over. He started shooting and deputies shot back and killed him.
Court records show Brice struggled with mental health and tried to take his own life at least twice.
"We're just hoping that it opens the door for more conversation so that children are more comfortable talking about it," Moore said about the domestic violence and mental health presentation. "So they're not afraid to speak up when they have certain things going on. So that we can help prevent this moving forward."
She said she hopes the camp overall opens up opportunities for kids in her community that she didn’t have.
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"It’s a really big deal to me because when we were children, we didn't have the opportunities. We didn't have anybody coming in like, ‘hey, let me show you the right way to go,’" Moore said.
Moore said about half of the kids in the summer camp are in foster care. This was the camp’s first year, but Moore hopes to make it an annual event.
If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic abuse, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.
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