MILWAUKEE — Our special, "Voices for Justice" was born in part, from the healing of the founder of "Mothers Against Gun Violence," Debra Gillispie. She helped spearhead the effort to bring together families with unsolved homicides, Milwaukee Police and the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office for conversation and understanding.
Gillispie is passionate about lifting up the voices of those who have lost a loved one to gun violence. It's her life's work, because she too has lost a love.
She lost her son, Kirk Patrick Bickham, Jr., in 2003. He was just 22-years-old when he was out with friends one night, celebrating his college graduation and a new job. Gillispie said "a gentleman who was watching his girlfriend, became jealous because she was flirting with them, waited for her to leave and gunned them all down."
The pain of loss led Gillispie to start "Mothers Against Gun Violence." Her faith has helped guide her healing journey, but it has not been easy.
Watch: Meet the woman who inspired our TMJ4 special: 'Voices for Justice'
The night of her son's death, Gillispie recalled hearing a "report coming over the news saying there's a triple shooting and that it must have been gang or drug related — gang or drug related."
"I'm thinking the worst — not about my son, but whoever that was," she said. "Sure enough, they were talking about my son. I'm like, he just came home from college. When you're grieving, and then have to defend their character too, that's a horrible experience. I want those families to express their truths."
Many families have shared their truths with Gillispie. She has cried with more survivors than she count, for years as a truck driver and more recently as an advocate and speaker. It was at a conference in North Carolina, about police efforts to solve homicides and reduce gun violence that a new light sparked inside of her.
Gillispie said to "hear them communicate and share the work they are trying to do to solve these cases, blew me away and brought me to tears."
She knew she wanted that conversation in her home town of Milwaukee. A community conversation between law enforcement and families.
"I thought it was important for our community to learn that our police department is working to make a difference. But also learn what does one do to navigate that," Gillispie said. "I was fortunate. mine's was wrapped up right away; but often times, others aren't.
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