Josh Clark Urgent Mutual Aid

Hey everyone in Richmond, VA and beyond, my name is Zavi Harman and I am here to tell a story on behalf of one of my best friends, Josh Clark. Josh is a 30-year old Richmond native on the verge of homelessness who needs community support to help raise urgent mutual aid funds to remain housed. Josh was the victim of an unprovoked physical attack in 2015 that caused a traumatic brain injury and a cascade of events that have led him to need your support in 2022. 

What Happened to Josh?

On May 31st, 2015, Josh was back in Richmond when he and his friend were walking down the 1200 block of W. Cary St at night. Unprovoked, a group of drunk men assaulted them. Josh could not escape the group and suffered a broken nose, hand, fingers, and ribs. Still, the most devastating consequence was the permanent brain damage that still affects him to this day. The group of men were never arrested. From what information was gathered after the assault, the men were part of a VCU fraternity.

Josh’s mother, Debra, said that investigators made note of a video taken by a security camera at the mini mart where the assault took place. Debra told me that the detective told the mini-mart owner that he would be going by to view the footage of the assault. "I kept checking back with the owner. The detective had not gone and I knew the video would auto-erase after a certain amount of time. The video did auto-erase and that evidence was lost before the police came by to check it."

 

Debra also called the president of VCU at the time, Mike Rao. She requested that he ask the mini mart to let him view the security video of the assault. He told her it was out of VCU police jurisdiction, though he alluded that VCU police knew who the assailants were but had no power to pursue charges. Debra then met with the Richmond police chief and spoke to VCU police but nothing ever came of it. The assailants were never pursued, identified nor charged, and justice for Josh and Evan was never realized. 

These individuals who assaulted Josh made a decision that has permanently altered his future. Josh was one of the most free-spirited people I have ever met and influenced those around him in so many positive ways. He had his whole future ahead of him, and now his injuries from this event have severely changed his ability to take care of himself, be socially engaged, and have relationships in the way he once did. In 2016, Josh was finally diagnosed with compound PTSD, a diagnosis common in combat veterans. I personally witnessed Josh become a totally different person - mute, disassociated, fearful - than the creative, laid-back guy I knew him to be. It was scary and heart-breaking, especially watching him suffer and not know how to help him. Debra has been able to get him some critical resources through social services, like speech and behavioral therapists, federal disability compensation, and physical therapy for lingering chronic pain from the initial injuries. He is slowly regaining his sense of self and making the journey towards recovery. Debra, Josh and I are so grateful to the therapists that have helped Josh get there.

However, traumatic brain injuries are incredibly difficult to heal from, and recovery is a lifelong journey. Josh's cognitive abilities slowly declined after the assault. He spent time institutionalized for two months against his will that traumatized him and exacerbated his already fragile, wounded brain. He has been misunderstood by police, has had spans of completely losing his speech, has had other family members manipulate and abuse him and his situation, including making critical decisions for him non-consensually. These events have all contributed to his mental and physical instability, and have caused undue burden on Josh and his mom. She has gone through so many hoops and faced so many obstacles with very limited resources just to get Josh the crucial care he needs and to seek justice for the pinnacle event - the assault in 2015. 

The life he would have had has been lost, but he needs your help rebuilding a new life to meet these new circumstances and allow his brain the opportunity to continue healing and recover to the fullest potential possible. Josh has been living with his mom who has been caring for him regardless of her own limited housing stability and resources. She is his only family member that is able to take on that care-taking role. However, she can no longer house him due to her imminently changing housing circumstances. That's where the your community support comes in.

What does Josh need now? 

Josh is now more independent than he has ever been since the assault in 2015. He can drive and work part-time. He takes care of his dog, Booey. But he still needs that extra support to be able to live on his own.

 

1. Josh needs housing as soon as possible, before he finds himself homeless. 

2. He also needs to find a job that involves simple tasks (dishwasher, stocking shelves, etc…)

3. He needs financial resources to go towards living expenses while he establishes his independence and regains his ability to take care of himself on his own.

 

Had a lawsuit been an option immediately after the assault, Josh and his mom could have had some compensation to finance all the resources Josh needed to recover. That was not an option then, due to the pushback from VCU and Richmond police, and is still not an option. However, crimestoppers still has an $1000 award for anyone that comes forth with more information about the 2015 assault. I urge you if you know anything about this, please come forth with more information. Josh and his family deserve to know who did this to him, who perpetuated this crime that has changed Josh's life so drastically. You can read more here: https://www.wric.com/news/crime-stoppers-seeks-information-about-richmond-assault/ 

Thank you so much for reading Josh’s story. Josh will receive every dollar donated. If you're able, please share this Gofundme on any of your social media platforms and of course, donate if you can. No amount is too small. Every share and donation is incredibly appreciated. Josh has had an incredibly hard life and I know this situation is incredibly stressful for him. Any support from the community truly means the world to me, and I know it means the world to Josh. 

Thank you everyone <3