Jessica Barnes understands the significance of kindness during times of tragedy and the vital role of the police.
This lesson came painfully to her when her 18-year-old son, Censere “CJ” Calhoun, was shot and killed in 2019.
On Tuesday, Barnes, now a grief-stricken mother turned advocate, formally recognized two Birmingham police officers for their community efforts – Sgt. Coleecia Cainion and Det. Albanellys Perez.
Barnes, founder of the Center Effect and regional lead of the Woodson Center’s Voices of Black Mothers United, praised the officers for their community work.
Regarding Cainion, Barnes said, “She’s such a people person and goes above and beyond to assist people. She takes time out to listen and to talk to people and explain things.”
Perez, who is bilingual, is a tremendous asset to both the community and the department, especially when language barriers arise, Barnes added. “Everybody has a lot of wonderful things to say about her.”
The presentation was made during the Birmingham Police Department’s National Night Out at City Walk. This event, held annually on the first Tuesday in August, is a community-building campaign observed by police departments nationwide.
“It’s important to victims and families to know the police department is with you,’’ Barnes said. “They support you and we support them. We want to work together to combat violence.”
Police Chief Scott Thurmond echoed her sentiments.
“We want to get our citizens engaged, out to meet and greet,’’ Thurmond said. “It’s just a great opportunity.”
Barnes noted that presenting commendations to police officers or anyone else demonstrates how far she has come since CJ’s death on Dec. 31, 2019.
“Never in a million years would I have imagined I would be in this role,’’ she said.
Witnesses reported hearing at least 14 or 15 shots. CJ and another person inside a silver sedan were struck. CJ was taken to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In a previous guest column for AL.com, Barnes shared that soon after the tragedy, with encouragement from others, she realized her calling.
“I would help other grieving mothers navigate the trauma I just endured from losing a child to violence,’’ she wrote. “I knew my CJ would not want me to stay in despair.”
“He was a fun, outgoing, loving soul who would do anything for anybody. Despite living only 18 years, he had completed his earthly assignment because he touched so many lives in the community,’’ she continued. “I knew he would want me to pick myself up and move on, looking for ways to help others. So, I had to do that for him.”
Barnes, who works in the City of Birmingham’s Public Works Department, has always been a natural listener and somewhat of a counselor to others.
“I was told, ‘You are what people need to see. You are the living example of when tragedies arise how you can go on, be resilient, and keep moving forward,’” she said.
“Even though it was a tragic situation,” Barnes said, “I am grateful I have the opportunity to work with other mothers to help them find strength, to give them encouragement, to give them someone to talk to.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to encourage, motivate, and inspire other mothers to let them know that even though a tragedy happened, there is a new normal,’’ she said, “and you can live and be happy and keep moving forward.
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