It breaks my heart to know a young woman with big dreams, a bright smile and a loving personality will be buried today.

I cannot even begin to imagine the pain that 18-year-old Alexis Hunter’s family and friends have felt since they learned that Alexis was shot dead last Saturday night. I can only hope that this tragedy will encourage the people of Selma to come together and put an end to violent crime in the community.

Time and time again, The Selma Times-Journal has reported on murders in Selma, and they have been more common in the last couple months.

I think it is important that the community realizes that we all have the power to make a change if we do our part. The best way to start the movement against violence is for us to recognize how we can play a role in stopping these senseless murders.

One of the best ways we can stop violence in the community is to start at home.

Parents should teach the children how to properly deal with any issues they may be experiencing.

For instance, parents should let their children know that violence is never the answer. There are always other ways to solve issues, such as talking through an issue.

Something as simple as the comfort of having someone to talk to can possibly steer people away from violence, which leads me to another solution.

Selma residents can help to prevent crime in the area by initiating anti-violence programs that are dedicated to tackling this social issue. We need to make those that often turn to violence feel as though they have someone to turn to when they are going through something. We need to educate people about alternative ways to address problems.

Several people that had the privilege of knowing Hunter have already taken a huge step to stopping violence in Selma; they shared their story.

Several Times-Journal readers have commented on Facebook about how much their story has impacted them.

Some were outraged by the news and others were saddened, but either way that story moved them in some way. And one of the best ways to start a movement is to make people care.

I appreciated the family was strong enough to show people the emotional damage that violence can cause.

I really do want people to keep this story of Hunter in their mind. Although it may have not directly affected you, you should be able to connect to this story in some way. It could easily have been someone you know that was shot dead.

One of my fears is that people will cherish this story for a couple weeks, and then forgets about it weeks later.

The passion that I have noticed after their story was told should stay a big topic throughtout the community. I want people to continue to seek a solution to the major violence in Selma. It won’t go away on it is own.

It doesn’t matter what Selma does to try to resolve this problem, I just would like us to do more than just send our condolences to mourning families. We have to correct the problem.