2 Mothers Who Lost Sons To Gun Violence Fighting For Peace
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- "Building unity and decreasing gun violence," these are the goals of Philadelphia's seventh annual "peace week."
Two mothers participating in the peace week say losing their teenage sons to gun violence brought unimaginable pain. Now, they're on a mission to stop it from happening to anyone else.
"They take it to the streets and damage families. They don't understand what they do. They don't have a clue," said Allissa Jackson.
Jackson and Janean Washington share a bond that neither of them wanted.
"I never thought it would be me. Not in a million years," Jackson added.
Both women lost their 16-year-old sons Symir Walker and Markquez Houston within the last nine months to gun violence.
Markquez, a triplet and an honor roll student, was shot on November 5 last year. He was standing with his friends on his front porch in North Philly. He was not the intended target.
Washington, who was picking up pizza for her son, rushed home.
"When I pulled up I seen a bunch of cops, ambulances and they were working on my baby. They were working so hard trying to save him and then once they stopped. And then I said, 'Why did you stop?' And they said, 'Sorry ma'am, your son is dead,'" recalled Washington.
Walker was shot and killed on June 15 around the corner from his house in South Philadelphia at 12th and Fitzwater.
Like Houston, he was not the intended target.
"I feel I have to push myself to live every day because I know that I have other kids and also I know I need to make it for Symir because I know he wouldn't want me to harbor on his death. He wants me to live," said Jackson.
Her life has a new purpose to help other neighborhood kids.
"We just have to come up with a plan to stop this gun violence. I just heard a 14-year-old lost their life. They're getting younger and younger. Something has to give," said Jackson.
Which is why Jackson and Washington have come together to help deliver two laptops and thousand dollar scholarships in their sons' names through an anti-violence nonprofit called "Unity in the Community." It's part of the group's seventh annual "peace week."
"The reason why we're doing it is because Marquez and Symir were two kids that were in high school so they will never see those young men graduate from high school," said Anton Moore with "Unity in the Community."
