We explore the reality of gun violence and death in these community stories.
The statistics around gun violence in Milwaukee are alarming. And the ripple effects of this violence can last for generations. But there are people in our city who are working to make a positive impact in the lives of those impacted by gun violence.
On Nov. 18, 2020, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee and Mothers Against Gun Violence highlighted stories of the transformation of grief into community action and healing.
Melody Villanueva and Shantell Riley were two speakers who shared their experiences of how gun violence does more than just break a part of someone’s life.
Melody says after her son passed her and her children went from being the three musketeers to losing a member. She's found comfort in activism and imagining a better place for her son. Take a listen.
After her son passed, Shantell Riley has started talking to people about death and how to prepare before it's a reality. She says she has had to consider how she was going to bury him, something that people aren't prone to think about beforehand. Shantell has even started hosting death cafes where people could talk with each other about what they're going through.
The full panel can be found below.