Ameena Matthews has dedicated most of her adult life to stepping in between potentially deadly conflicts to prevent shootings and death. Now she is now in the middle of fighting the greatest fight of her life.
Ameena was diagnosed in January 2014 with multiple myeloma— a form of cancer that currently has no cure.
A disease that’s expected to dramatically cut her life-span.
For years, Ameena has used her voice to help squash street-beef before it becomes another deadly shooting in some of Chicago’s most dangerous neighborhoods.
Her work became known after being featured in the documentary, “The Interrupters,” a film that follows Chicago’s street-conflict resolvers like Ameena.
Ameena has stared down murders, gangsters, etc. But in January, this mother, wife and voice for her community, got news that shook her to the core.
“It’s no comeback from [this disease],” she say. “You know you can fight as long as you can but in an interval it’s going to win.”
Community Activist Fought For Others, Now Fights For Her Own Life was originally published on blackdoctor.org
