“An epidemic of violence has swept across our nation, affecting millions of African American children and adolescents daily. Many of these children die; others sustain lifelong disabilities. The level of emotional damage often goes unassessed and untreated. Living in a context of violence contributes to nihilism, to a sense of impending death and a “live for today” attitude that limits the futures of these children. It is not surprising that children whose lives are bounded by violence have trouble concentrating in school, see little reason to work hard, and experience high failure rates. Stress-related physical illness also may be a result of violence and victimization.” Mareasa Isaacs, author