A Legacy of Strength: Rasheena’s Journey from Loss to Homeownership

A photo of Rasheena’s late son, Delinkko, on her necklace

A Legacy of Strength: Rasheena’s Journey from Loss to Homeownership

It doesn’t take long to feel Rasheena’s strength and determination. As a mother of three, a grandmother of three, a social club president, an office manager, and a community advocate, she is a rock of her family and community. 

As the president of her local social club, she helps host fundraisers and events, raising money and distributing goodie bags to community members. As a mother and grandmother, she helps support her children and grandchildren and plans to further provide for her family through homeownership. A year ago, before starting her homeownership journey, Rasheena founded a community basketball tournament, a tradition she hopes to continue annually.

The basketball tournament came after the tragic loss of her son. Almost two years ago, Rasheena’s son, Delinkko, was shot and killed while playing basketball. On the one-year-anniversary of his death, Rasheena hosted a five-on-five basketball tournament to honor him. She gathered four teams, bought jerseys, and awarded the winning team a trophy. Every year she plans to make it bigger, share his story, and carry on his legacy. 

Despite the horrific loss of her son, Rasheena pushes through the pain to provide for her other children and grandchildren, including Delinkko’s two kids.

“Everyday feels like it was yesterday,” Rasheena said. “I got to keep going. I could wallow in sadness and go into a depression, but I got to keep going for [them].”

A few months after the anniversary of his death, Rasheena was more determined than ever to become a homeowner. She wanted to give her daughters and grandkids stability and make her son proud. A few years ago, Rasheena learned about Milwaukee Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership program and became interested. She did not feel financially ready at the time, but recently came back to the program after watching her friend get approved.

“I really wanted to join the program,” Rasheena said. “I wanted something that was mine, something for my kids and grandkids. I don’t have to pay anybody else rent or their mortgage. I would pay my own mortgage and have my own house. That’s the goal. Homeownership has always been on my mind. I think I always doubted myself. Being able to go to the bank and get the loan, I doubted it. I didn’t have the finances [the first time].” 

After getting her finances in order and being more motivated than ever, Rasheena is now partnering with Milwaukee Habitat to build a brand new home. 

“This [Habitat house] will be something I can pass down to my kids whenever,” Rasheena said. “When my grandkids come over, they can have their own rooms.”

When asked, Rasheena said that homeownership will mean:

“Everything. I probably won’t even know the words. It will be an amazing moment at the time. I will probably start crying.”

Soon, Rasheena will move into her new home, starting a new chapter in her life as she continues to heal from her son’s passing. She will have the space to provide peace and comfort to Delinkko’s children and the rest of her family. She will find stability as she continues to build up her community and support those around her. As she holds Delinkko’s legacy close, Rasheena knows that closing on her home will be an emotional time.

“It’s going to make me cry that he’s not here to experience this moment with me,” Rasheena said. 

Although Delinkko won’t be physically present, Rasheena knows he will be there in spirit, rooting for her as she closes on her new home.

“He would be so proud of me,” Rasheena said. “He’ll say ‘look at you Ma.’ He’ll probably be dancing.” 

With resilience and love, Rasheena is turning pain into purpose, loss into legacy, and a house into a home.