#Roommates, our hearts and prayers are still with those families who lost a loved one in last week’s Thousand Oaks shooting in California. Tamera Mowry-Housley’s niece, Alaina Housley, 18, was among the 12 victims whose lives were taken too soon. Alaina’s father, Arik Housley, and uncle, Adam Housely, appeared on CBS News with Tamera in their first interview since the shooting.
“Alaina was beautiful,” Tamera said. “And she was my friend. Yes, there needs to be a change, but all the noise … nothing’s been done.”
The family is on a mission to make sure that this incident doesn’t become the news of the week, but one that actually makes a difference, and not just about gun control, but bettering our communities and loving on one another.
“If I was to walk out of here and the first thing I was to say was, you know, ‘Gun control,’ guess what? Half the country (snaps fingers), [conversation] ends,” Adam said.
“And we don’t want the conversation to end,” Tamera said .
“It can’t this time,” Adam said. “We want it to continue.”
“We believe that there is a message that’s out there,” Arik said. “To us, it’s to be kind to one another. It’s to put down your technology, put down your phones and look at somebody and have a conversation. It’s not about gun control; this message is about doing something bigger, to be with your community, to love one another.”
“To get to the point where we can have a conversation about anything political, it has to start here [points to heart]. It has to start with the soul, because we’ve lost that,” Adam said.
Earlier this week Tamera wrote a heartfelt message to her niece on Instagram.
“Alaina. My sweet, sweet Alaina. My heart breaks,” she wrote. “I’m still in disbelief. It’s not fair how you were taken and how soon you were taken from us. I was blessed to know you ever since you were 5.”
She continued: “You stole my heart. I will miss our inside jokes, us serenading at the piano. Thank you for being patient with me learning how to braid your hair, and I will never forget our duet singing the national anthem at Napa’s soccer game. I love you. I love you. I love you. You are gonna make one gorgeous angel. My heart and prayers are with every victim of this tragedy.”
We have to make a change #Roommates!
