Community Activist Calls For Change In Liberty City

MIAMI (CBS4) - Step on the scene of any shooting in Liberty City and you'll find Renita Holmes there.  The community activist is not a preacher, a politician, or friend necessarily of the police.  In fact some call her crazy.

"Yeah.  I'm crazy about the people I'm doing it for." Holmes told Sutta.

One thing is for sure Renita Holmes is as real as it gets.

"I got no choice.  Either I get swallowed up in this ole bloody hole or I teach my kids how to survive and swim."

Because of that Holmes sees what most overlook in the Liberty City community.  She points over to a house across the street where children are playing.  "Take a look at those kids out there.  In there.  See those kids.  This is a neighborhood. It's not a war zone."  The house is just three over from where the shootout with the cops took place.  For 22 years Holmes has been trying to prevent what happened on Thursday.

CBS4's David Sutta asked her "Why did Johnny Simms say I'm going out blazing?" She responds "Johnny Simms probably didn't.  I guess that's the statement you can see.  Did he have a choice?  Really?"

Renita believes the influences here are a big contributor.

"My image is based on a rap song or a rap sheet.  That's the power of influence around here.  And know what if adults let a bunch of rappers or rap sheets make their kids and their image… they should be the children."

Renita believes once you have the rap sheet you are stuck.  She starts imitating someone playing on a remote control. "All they do is sit there and say kill, kill, kill, kill (toke a joint), kill, kill."  What else is there to do when no one will hire you.  She explains "Hungry people will steal.  Hungry people will survive.  Hungry people.  And scared people will hurt you."

She points down the street to the warehouse that sells guns.  She talks about the gun shows that stop by twice a month where they sell the AK-47's out the back.  She mentions the dope pushers are all over the neighborhood.  Sadly this is the alternative for many who are scared and hungry.  Many young men like Johnny Simms knew this world very well.

Unlike some leaders in the community who say to lock all the thugs up, Renita wishes she could convince the community to show them the way out instead.

"We need to educate, advocate, engage, and keep a consistent monitoring of practices of people who get monies who don't hire these young men."

The way she sees it now the community has stopped raising children and started raising animals.

"Sociopathic animals.  And I hold everyone around here accountable for that.  The leaders, even the police department."