CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Several community members took to the streets to raise awareness around gun violence. It comes following multiple shootings in our area overnight, including one that sent four people to the hospital.
The group, led by Moms Demand Action, marched through uptown in orange. The color represents an additional spotlight to on efforts to combat gun violence. June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month.
Scarlett Collingsworth with Moms Demand Action is calling for more work to be done.
“The weight of gun violence takes a toll on us all," she said.
Each step of the march is something Collingsworth said helps in her cause.
“It's all about people bringing awareness to the plight that we have of gun violence in the United States,” she said.
Gun violence has deeply hurt Clydia Davis. She lost her son, Donqwavias "Quay" Davis, after a shooting at an apartment complex near UNC Charlotte in May 2019. Quay's death was especially painful because he had his own mission against gun violence.
"My son was a big advocate against guns, he believed in conflict resolution,” she said.
Now, Davis hopes to carry her son's passion to bring an end to the violence that’s taken too many lives.
“Put your guns away. You're not gonna be young and dumb forever," she said.
Mecklenburg County's Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) is teaming up with several community groups to host anti-violence events, which includes sharing information about resources and handing out gun locks. On Sunday, June 9, Block Love Charlotte will host a car show at 2738 North Graham Street. The show starts at 2 p.m.
On June 15, A Brighter Day Outreach will host the Celebration of Kings at the Thomasboro Academy Gymnasium to honor positive male role models in the Hoskins community. It starts at noon and runs through 5 p.m.
June 17 will see two different events. One is a community chat hour with the Carolina Violence Prevention Collaborative. The time and location is still to be determined.
The other event that day is a similar community conversation at Lakehaven Community Church in Huntersville. That will take place at 6:30 p.m.
June 20 will see a meeting of The Way Forward Strategic Plan Advisory Group at the Reedy Creek Nature Center, starting at 6 p.m. The meeting is a gathering of community organizations, government representatives, and others working on Mecklenburg County's violence prevention plan of the same name.
Contact Myles Harris at mharris5@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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