Phoebe- Mothers Day Walk (Event Planning)-2/19/10

On Friday, Samantha and I went to meeting where people were planning an annual ‘Mothers Day Walk’ to make awareness for gun violence, which will be held in The Bronx.  Most of the people that were at the meeting had personal experiences with gun violence.  Many of them also now have their own non-profit organizations for this cause.  At the meeting they discussed how the event is going to work.  What is going to happen is that everyone will walk to a park, where there then will be a stage with speakers and performers. Samantha and I mostly just listened during the discussion, but afterwards we got to interview many of the people there.  One of the people we interviewed was the person in charge of this event, Gloria Cruz.  She shared with us how she got involved with the issue of gun violence, and what she does exactly to help.  Gloria said that she got involved after September 5th, 2005, the day her niece was shot and killed.  She started an organization in The Bronx so she could raise awareness to get guns off the streets.  She goes and speaks to schools and churches about this issue.  We also interviewed Yvette Forehand who had lost her son, Rory, to gun violence.  She started a foundation called the Rory A. Forehand Foundation.  After her son passed away she felt the need to help.  Doing anything she can to help with this issue gives her more comfort.  These were just two of the many inspiring people we met and interviewed.  Hearing all these peoples stories and what they do for this cause makes me want to do more to help.  Tomorrow we are going to an organization where a woman named Catherine Green runs an arts program to keep kids and young adults off the streets and more involved in things like art.  I am also going to a memorial for Yvette Forehands son, because tomorrow is the three year anniversary of his death.  I am very excited and motivated to do anything I can to help or learn more about the issue of gun violence.