In Chicago: Raising Children in a Battle Zone

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Every day the mothers of Cabrini-Green encounter silent reminders of how urgently they need this truce. At Cycle, a community center and haven for Cabrini mothers and children, a crayon drawing hangs in the hallway. It depicts a bright yellow sun shining down on two big brightly colored figures. The messages I LOVE GOD and WE ARE SPECIAL are written in a child's neat block letters. At the bottom of the picture, a little girl named Laketa wrote her name. On a hot July night last year, Laketa awaited her turn in a double-Dutch jump-rope game on the walkway of her building. Suddenly, the taunting chants of warring gangs filled the air, and gunfire broke out. A bullet pierced Laketa's chest, and she fell to the pavement. She died on the hospital operating table. Laketa was nine years old.