INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Dealing with the aftermath of violence in her community is something Helena Starks has grown up with her whole life.

“I am very familiar with those types of situations,” Starks said.

With the Super Bowl approaching, when many in the community are celebrating, Starks — a mother of two teenage boys — is preparing for a vigil at True Vine Baptist Church after four people were murdered at a house party in Inglewood.

“It affects not just the person that it happened to, but a broader perspective,” she said.

From victims’ families to leaders of nonprofits that have been fighting violence in the community for years, more than a dozen recently came together to call for an end to the violence. Among them was Khalid Shah, founder of the Stop the Violence Increase the Peace Foundation nonprofit in Inglewood.

“We know that some really great things are happening, but at the same time, I’m feeling a little confused, a little perplexed, because at the end of the day, in the shadow of all the good things, the NFL and all of that, we have a rising homicide rate,” Shah said.

After experiencing its lowest homicide rate in years in 2019 with two murders, Inglewood killings went up sevenfold in 2020 and 2021 with 14 murders a year, according to the FBI.

Shah addressed the crowd, saying that it is now — when all eyes are on Inglewood — that the community must come together to show their strength and resolve to ending the violence.

“I believe the mayor and the city council should be here with us,” he said. “This is not a city council, city government, politician bashing issue. This is about making sure one thing doesn’t overshadow the other. As far as I’m concerned, your babies are more important than any football game.”

In a previous interview with Spectrum News, Inglewood Mayor James Butts Jr. said the killing was targeted and doesn’t present an overall safety threat.

“This is more of a continuation in the increase of severe gang violence that we have seen ever since the Nipsey Hussle murder,” he said.

The news conference kicked off multiple days of prayer, but its primary intention was to demand these victims and leaders be included in a public safety solution. They also hope to encourage residents, such as Starks, to get involved: from donating to the affected families to speaking out when they witness violence.

“Sometimes helping other people, that’s healing within itself,” Starks said. “And that’s why it’s healing for me.”

Although the stadium has been completed, there are a lot of bridges still to be built in this community.