The last week has been a hard one for Selma. There have been several shootings and at least two school robberies all within a week. Citizens are tired of the discourse and are calling for more protection and resources for local law enforcement. More than 100 of them gathered at Tuesday’s City Council Meeting filling the council chambers to capacity awaiting answers to the recent issues in the city.

However, with as much negativity clouding our historic city this past week, I choose to continue to look for the positivity and see the growth and promise the city is making. I believe that by celebrating the good, even in the midst of hard times, is essential for the community. Much like the back-to-back violence that has occurred, there have also been at least three business openings and another possibility for local businesses to come together and sell their products.

The new businesses are creating jobs for local citizens, thus helping the economy, and possibly the crime rate. Lower poverty rates, often lead to lower crime rates.

Yes, there is work to do in our beloved city, but if we forget to keep pushing and celebrate the positives that are happening then the people who are creating the discourse will win everytime.

I believe that God will not put more on us than we can handle, and Selma is a proven fighter. Selma residents have went down in history books as fighters and game changers since Dr. F.D. Reese, Amelia Boynton Robinson and many others decided that enough was enough and joined Dr. Martin Luther King on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965.

We have to remember that even with the rich history of this town, there is an amazing future ahead because of its amazing people.

The steady growth of businesses within such a short time span proves it. Even with the high poverty and crime rates, business owners are still brave enough to open their doors and say “We’re Open!” This, along with supporting local law enforcement, is how you fight for Selma. It is how the city will continue to come out of a fight and win.

urge the citizens to continue to be vigilant in calling for more support for local law enforcement, but to also be vigilant in their fight to move forward and continue to support those that are brave enough to continue opening new businesses here in the community.

Oniska Blevins is a reporter with The Selma Times-Journal. She can be reached at oniska.blevins@selmatimesjournal.com.