MILWAUKEE— For the fourth year, Milwaukee is joining a national effort to support those impacted by gun violence with a candlelight vigil being held Wednesday to honor victims and survivors.
Watch: Milwaukee woman shares story of losing her son to gun violence
The event brings together community members who have experienced firsthand the devastating effects of gun violence, including Debra Gillispie, founder of Mothers Against Gun Violence.
Gillispie's advocacy began after losing her son Kirk Patrick Bickham Jr., who was just 22 years old when he and two friends were killed at a bar in 2003.
"He had just returned home from college, he graduated and was out celebrating his position," Gillispie said.
She said the tragedy was compounded when coverage initially suggested the triple homicide was gang or drug-related.
"It appeared on the news, 'triple homicide must've been gang or drug related,' you know, at first I didn't realize they were talking about my son, and when I did, I was so distraught. To find out your son was murdered and then for him to also be accused — you know he was blamed for his own murder, that's mind-blowing," Gillispie said.
After her son's death, Gillispie channeled her grief into activism by starting Mothers Against Gun Violence, an organization dedicated to helping victims and survivors share their stories. She said she has connected with more than 100 people through her work.
"They think I'm helping them, but they are also helping me because their resiliency is another tool for my tool belt," Gillispie said.
The organization's impact is visible throughout Milwaukee, where portraits and QR codes at bus stops share the stories of those affected by gun violence.
"We all heal differently, and our grief is different as well too. Any opportunity for people to come together and see that there's others that they can lean on is a good thing," Gillispie said.
The Milwaukee candlelight vigil to end gun violence will be held at 6091 North Teutonia Avenue at noon, where a moment of silence will be observed.
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