February 28, 2025 • 11 mins
Kanesha Gaines, a 21-year-old mother of two, was tragically killed at a North Lawndale birthday party, where 8 others were also shot. Her mother, Natasha Graham, was painfully familiar with the toll of Chicago's gun violence, having lost her brother as well.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:01):
Welcome to No Tears for Black. Girls.
A true crime series created, written and produced by
award-winning writer Jon Reedberg and hosted by Samantha
Paul. Rare to have a mass shooting in
Chicago where nine people are killed.
Even more unusual when all victims were women, one of them
died shortly after being transported here to Mount Sinai
(00:24):
Hospital and another victim, a 28 year old woman suffered 8
gunshot wounds. She is right now inside fighting
for her life as community leaders and that Ward's Alder
person are now imploring the community and the public to come
forward with any information that could lead to the shooter.
Natasha Graham was devastated. Another tragedy struck her
(00:46):
family as she learned that her daughter, Kanisha Gaines, had
been fatally shot during a neighborhood celebration.
She was only 21 years old. It happened in the early hours
of a Sunday morning in July 2023in Chicago's North Lawndale
area. Kenisha and several other women
(01:07):
attended a luau themed birthday party on South Keeler Ave.
They were wearing colorful Lays and enjoying themselves when
suddenly a black Jeep drove up. Several gunmen emerged from the
vehicle and started shooting, turning what was a festive
gathering into a scene of chaos and horror.
Kenisha was hit in the face by abullet and died from her
(01:29):
injuries. Among the victims, aged between
20 and 33, one woman was critically injured with eight
gunshot wounds. The neighborhood was left
reeling from the shock, scared by every unexpected noise.
For Natasha, this was a painful deja vu.
She had already lost her 18 yearold son Kashawn to gun violence
(01:53):
back in 2019. Kanisha's two young children, a
three-year old son and a two year old daughter, would have to
grow up without their mother. Natasha.
'S grief turned into anger as she spoke out against the
rampant gun violence tearing through communities.
She voiced her frustration over the easy access to guns and the
(02:15):
carelessness of those using them.
Amidst her profound sadness, shecalled for action and change,
hoping to prevent more senselessdeaths and spare other families
from experiencing the same heartbreak.
Here's a live stream. Of family.
Members sharing their. Thoughts and feelings about
kenisha's tragic murder what to God these little girls playing
(02:36):
in her face and I'm going to playback I ain't going to lie to
you I'm going to playback Hello ain't no way mother don't know a
God thing y'all know what the going on They don't nobody want
to talk don't nobody want to saysomething to.
Share We. All that y'all weird as hell but
don't want to say nothing then about go block me and she's like
(02:58):
what you what you blocking me for what you feeling some type
of way because I'm feeling some type of way about my niece folk
holla got here. Y'all know how I'm coming.
I only do this laugh shit when the only time I get on laugh is
when y'all make me feel some type of way.
Stop getting on here, talk my mom and niece and you know you
ain't gonna talk about what happened to her.
(03:23):
It's kind of weird to me how your weird.
Block me though. How you block me and you mad
'cause I feel some type of way baby?
Scratch. Your ass and get.
Glad bitch. I ain't going to even lie to you
though. Everybody know what it is with
me. Y'all weird to see you?
I swear to God, if you want to fuck Anisha, I'll send it to the
moon. She ain't got no best friend.
(03:46):
All that she did, she got familyin there.
She ain't got no more friend that that's what it is, 'cause
all y'all weird people, y'all know what the going on, ain't
nobody talking, but y'all want to be weird on Facebook making
statuses is. I don't like none of y'all to be
honest with you. I wish my niece had to stayed
against it, stayed away from ally'all, but she did.
(04:08):
She ain't listen to me, but if she had to listen to me, bro,
she wouldn't have been around. She wouldn't have been around
that everybody can face their facts and all of that we 3 for
three all of that but a three for three ain't no snitching bro
you ain't snitching if you tell them what happened to your 3 for
three. She went in the streets come on
(04:30):
now that's a different story. If she was in the streets bro
come on talk to bro. She went in the streets y'all
weird as hell. She went in the streets.
She know what the what's going on you put them off you bring
them off to the scene. You think they don't know what
the going on the got here? Bro you weird as hell G she know
what the was going on got here. She died because another decided
(04:56):
to make a bad bad decision and they backfired.
That's what the happened got here Ain't no setups.
I ain't never say a motherfuckerset my niece up.
Let's be clear while running around saying that I ain't never
say I'm upset my niece up. I said I'm up, set that girl up.
(05:20):
That's what I said and it backfired.
Now we can talk about it now it's all out there now.
Now let's be clear cause none ofthe that was hanging on my knees
(05:43):
standing in the crowd with her. She wants shut down.
Shut the fuck up. Talking to me.
What's up? I was humble enough.
She gone in the ground now. What's up y'all real stupid?
Real stupid, right? Weird people sitting up here
(06:09):
talking all that weird get you abest friend you this y'all that
y'all this but ain't nobody cameto talk to us.
But I heard my got pictures. I heard my got I heard my got
text messages. So most why we ain't getting why
we ain't know so weird. Sorry, I'm weird all that today
(06:30):
get all that today. What's up?
The whole screenshots and they falls but I I got to beg them up
for it. I got to beg them up for I asked
for this days mom said they shouldn't they fall since the
day it happened. But these ain't drops up until I
(06:52):
start begging for that. Got here.
Y'all weird as hell. Come don't get to telling me
about how I feel 'cause I feel some type of way 'cause y'all
I'm moving the right way. Man.
Ain't gonna never tell the police.
We have a better chance of finding this without ourselves.
They'll never talk to the policemy scary than a mother talk
(07:14):
about some. Well, I don't want my name on
black and white. What the fuck is you talking
about? Tired of being humble kind of it
is what it is. They're gonna.
Always scream all this. Best friend is best friend that
get so weird. Oh daddy heard this shit from my
(07:35):
from the first self that's in the hospital bed still to this
day. Yo back though I'm not trying to
hear none of that. My time out black and white is
the difference in snitching and being loyal.
So obviously you're not loyal tomy sister little girl.
Obviously you're not. You ain't got no loyal bone in
(07:57):
your mother, so if you didn't want to talk to us, you could've
talked to the police. But you don't want your name so
you not shot for real. Yo, this is great 'cause I swear
to God on my kids. Oh my dad, mother on my daddy.
Mother saved your all day. I was on your all day and I told
you to your face when my sister was going in the ground.
(08:18):
You was showing fake love. You ain't want to go with your
moo. How you know what's up with me?
You fake yourself. Gee, on my kids, I can't see you
on no day. Keep talking about not today, on
no day. You don't even come around right
now on my kids. Literally.
I don't feel that bro. God, that's why I'm mad.
TT you should have let me go with my mood because this ain't
(08:41):
even going to come back around. I'm Jesus, this ain't going to
come back around. This going to be hard now.
You blocked me. Why you blocked me?
You blocked me too. I'm God at the end of the day.
(09:03):
Oh my kids, you can't say we acting funny.
You can't say we bogus another day.
Let me tell you why 'cause you went to the hospital and talked
to this girl for one and show her all type of screenshots of
take for you to come out. They don't know who did it or
whoever, whatever. We don't know this.
(09:25):
We ain't got this. Who can't be my sister, best
friend and any rocking with you.I'm not rocking with them.
That behind this little girl right here all you talking
about? Every last one of you.
Every last one of them. I'm not playing all that at the
end of the day. My mom and dad when I was 13 and
(09:47):
I know how I feel to live without a Mama.
These kids, three or two, so they got a whole life ahead of
them without a Mama. Ain't nobody gonna treat them
kids like they Mama gonna treat them cuz ain't nobody treat me
how my mom would have treated me.
You tell me how. Yeah, we can do whatever.
Me, I can do whatever back close.
(10:08):
I can buy shoes, all that. I'm still not them kids Mama.
At the end of the day I'm still not them kids.
My mom like ain't see and they like that's just sad bro.
Y'all don't know what the my little sister also real girl
bounced up when she had the kids, her kids What's her world
(10:29):
'cause you talking about treasure was sad all that day
was sad her face. She cried all that day.
Keep Mario was sad too but treasure that little girl that
shit gonna hurt when she get older.
Bro that shit bogus. At the end of the day, you not
loyal. Thank you for tuning in to No
(10:50):
Tears for Black Girls. This series is skillfully
crafted by acclaimed writer and producer Jon Reedberg.
With the. Guidance of unapologetic host
Samantha Paul. Catch new episodes every Tuesday
and Thursday on all major podcast platforms.
You can listen anywhere, anytime, and if you truly enjoy
our content, please leave a fivestar rating and positive review.
(11:13):
Remember to stay loved, stay blessed, and stay safe.
Welcome to No Tears for Black. Girls.
A true crime series created, written and produced by
award-winning writer Jon Reedberg and hosted by Samantha
Paul. Rare to have a mass shooting in
Chicago where nine people are killed.
Even more unusual when all victims were women, one of them
died shortly after being transported here to Mount Sinai
(00:24):
Hospital and another victim, a 28 year old woman suffered 8
gunshot wounds. She is right now inside fighting
for her life as community leaders and that Ward's Alder
person are now imploring the community and the public to come
forward with any information that could lead to the shooter.
Natasha Graham was devastated. Another tragedy struck her
(00:46):
family as she learned that her daughter, Kanisha Gaines, had
been fatally shot during a neighborhood celebration.
She was only 21 years old. It happened in the early hours
of a Sunday morning in July 2023in Chicago's North Lawndale
area. Kenisha and several other women
(01:07):
attended a luau themed birthday party on South Keeler Ave.
They were wearing colorful Lays and enjoying themselves when
suddenly a black Jeep drove up. Several gunmen emerged from the
vehicle and started shooting, turning what was a festive
gathering into a scene of chaos and horror.
Kenisha was hit in the face by abullet and died from her
(01:29):
injuries. Among the victims, aged between
20 and 33, one woman was critically injured with eight
gunshot wounds. The neighborhood was left
reeling from the shock, scared by every unexpected noise.
For Natasha, this was a painful deja vu.
She had already lost her 18 yearold son Kashawn to gun violence
(01:53):
back in 2019. Kanisha's two young children, a
three-year old son and a two year old daughter, would have to
grow up without their mother. Natasha.
'S grief turned into anger as she spoke out against the
rampant gun violence tearing through communities.
She voiced her frustration over the easy access to guns and the
(02:15):
carelessness of those using them.
Amidst her profound sadness, shecalled for action and change,
hoping to prevent more senselessdeaths and spare other families
from experiencing the same heartbreak.
Here's a live stream. Of family.
Members sharing their. Thoughts and feelings about
kenisha's tragic murder what to God these little girls playing
(02:36):
in her face and I'm going to playback I ain't going to lie to
you I'm going to playback Hello ain't no way mother don't know a
God thing y'all know what the going on They don't nobody want
to talk don't nobody want to saysomething to.
Share We. All that y'all weird as hell but
don't want to say nothing then about go block me and she's like
(02:58):
what you what you blocking me for what you feeling some type
of way because I'm feeling some type of way about my niece folk
holla got here. Y'all know how I'm coming.
I only do this laugh shit when the only time I get on laugh is
when y'all make me feel some type of way.
Stop getting on here, talk my mom and niece and you know you
ain't gonna talk about what happened to her.
(03:23):
It's kind of weird to me how your weird.
Block me though. How you block me and you mad
'cause I feel some type of way baby?
Scratch. Your ass and get.
Glad bitch. I ain't going to even lie to you
though. Everybody know what it is with
me. Y'all weird to see you?
I swear to God, if you want to fuck Anisha, I'll send it to the
moon. She ain't got no best friend.
(03:46):
All that she did, she got familyin there.
She ain't got no more friend that that's what it is, 'cause
all y'all weird people, y'all know what the going on, ain't
nobody talking, but y'all want to be weird on Facebook making
statuses is. I don't like none of y'all to be
honest with you. I wish my niece had to stayed
against it, stayed away from ally'all, but she did.
(04:08):
She ain't listen to me, but if she had to listen to me, bro,
she wouldn't have been around. She wouldn't have been around
that everybody can face their facts and all of that we 3 for
three all of that but a three for three ain't no snitching bro
you ain't snitching if you tell them what happened to your 3 for
three. She went in the streets come on
(04:30):
now that's a different story. If she was in the streets bro
come on talk to bro. She went in the streets y'all
weird as hell. She went in the streets.
She know what the what's going on you put them off you bring
them off to the scene. You think they don't know what
the going on the got here? Bro you weird as hell G she know
what the was going on got here. She died because another decided
(04:56):
to make a bad bad decision and they backfired.
That's what the happened got here Ain't no setups.
I ain't never say a motherfuckerset my niece up.
Let's be clear while running around saying that I ain't never
say I'm upset my niece up. I said I'm up, set that girl up.
(05:20):
That's what I said and it backfired.
Now we can talk about it now it's all out there now.
Now let's be clear cause none ofthe that was hanging on my knees
(05:43):
standing in the crowd with her. She wants shut down.
Shut the fuck up. Talking to me.
What's up? I was humble enough.
She gone in the ground now. What's up y'all real stupid?
Real stupid, right? Weird people sitting up here
(06:09):
talking all that weird get you abest friend you this y'all that
y'all this but ain't nobody cameto talk to us.
But I heard my got pictures. I heard my got I heard my got
text messages. So most why we ain't getting why
we ain't know so weird. Sorry, I'm weird all that today
(06:30):
get all that today. What's up?
The whole screenshots and they falls but I I got to beg them up
for it. I got to beg them up for I asked
for this days mom said they shouldn't they fall since the
day it happened. But these ain't drops up until I
(06:52):
start begging for that. Got here.
Y'all weird as hell. Come don't get to telling me
about how I feel 'cause I feel some type of way 'cause y'all
I'm moving the right way. Man.
Ain't gonna never tell the police.
We have a better chance of finding this without ourselves.
They'll never talk to the policemy scary than a mother talk
(07:14):
about some. Well, I don't want my name on
black and white. What the fuck is you talking
about? Tired of being humble kind of it
is what it is. They're gonna.
Always scream all this. Best friend is best friend that
get so weird. Oh daddy heard this shit from my
(07:35):
from the first self that's in the hospital bed still to this
day. Yo back though I'm not trying to
hear none of that. My time out black and white is
the difference in snitching and being loyal.
So obviously you're not loyal tomy sister little girl.
Obviously you're not. You ain't got no loyal bone in
(07:57):
your mother, so if you didn't want to talk to us, you could've
talked to the police. But you don't want your name so
you not shot for real. Yo, this is great 'cause I swear
to God on my kids. Oh my dad, mother on my daddy.
Mother saved your all day. I was on your all day and I told
you to your face when my sister was going in the ground.
(08:18):
You was showing fake love. You ain't want to go with your
moo. How you know what's up with me?
You fake yourself. Gee, on my kids, I can't see you
on no day. Keep talking about not today, on
no day. You don't even come around right
now on my kids. Literally.
I don't feel that bro. God, that's why I'm mad.
TT you should have let me go with my mood because this ain't
(08:41):
even going to come back around. I'm Jesus, this ain't going to
come back around. This going to be hard now.
You blocked me. Why you blocked me?
You blocked me too. I'm God at the end of the day.
(09:03):
Oh my kids, you can't say we acting funny.
You can't say we bogus another day.
Let me tell you why 'cause you went to the hospital and talked
to this girl for one and show her all type of screenshots of
take for you to come out. They don't know who did it or
whoever, whatever. We don't know this.
(09:25):
We ain't got this. Who can't be my sister, best
friend and any rocking with you.I'm not rocking with them.
That behind this little girl right here all you talking
about? Every last one of you.
Every last one of them. I'm not playing all that at the
end of the day. My mom and dad when I was 13 and
(09:47):
I know how I feel to live without a Mama.
These kids, three or two, so they got a whole life ahead of
them without a Mama. Ain't nobody gonna treat them
kids like they Mama gonna treat them cuz ain't nobody treat me
how my mom would have treated me.
You tell me how. Yeah, we can do whatever.
Me, I can do whatever back close.
(10:08):
I can buy shoes, all that. I'm still not them kids Mama.
At the end of the day I'm still not them kids.
My mom like ain't see and they like that's just sad bro.
Y'all don't know what the my little sister also real girl
bounced up when she had the kids, her kids What's her world
(10:29):
'cause you talking about treasure was sad all that day
was sad her face. She cried all that day.
Keep Mario was sad too but treasure that little girl that
shit gonna hurt when she get older.
Bro that shit bogus. At the end of the day, you not
loyal. Thank you for tuning in to No
(10:50):
Tears for Black Girls. This series is skillfully
crafted by acclaimed writer and producer Jon Reedberg.
With the. Guidance of unapologetic host
Samantha Paul. Catch new episodes every Tuesday
and Thursday on all major podcast platforms.
You can listen anywhere, anytime, and if you truly enjoy
our content, please leave a fivestar rating and positive review.
(11:13):
Remember to stay loved, stay blessed, and stay safe.
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