Survivors of violence turn personal experiences into a call for change at Milwaukee gala
CBS 58 MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Survivors of violence came together Saturday at UW-Milwaukee to remember loved ones, support one another and work toward preventing more violence in Milwaukee.
The city's Department of Community Wellness and Safety hosted its Survivors of Violence Gala, giving survivors and advocates a place to share their experiences and recognize people working to support others affected by violence.
"This is hard. There's no way around grief," Janice Gorden said.
Gorden knows that grief and the impact violence can have on a family. Her grandson was shot multiple times in 2019 and survived.
"My grandson in 2019 was shot four times. The bullets went straight through him, so he had like eight holes in his body," Gorden said.
Gorden turned that experience into work supporting others affected by violence. She was among those recognized at the gala for her efforts.
The event also gave survivors an opportunity to connect with people who have faced similar experiences.
"We all learn something from what we go through, and it's really amazing when people next to you can share what they learned on their journeys," said Yasmine Morton, interim operations manager for Milwaukee's Department of Community Wellness and Safety.
Karin Tyler, director of the Department of Community Wellness and Safety, said recognizing that work matters to people who often do it without acknowledgment.
"A lot of people were like, 'I do this work and nobody really acknowledges that,' so I think it's so important," Tyler said.
Tyler also has a personal connection to the work. She lost her son in 2011 following a home invasion.
"I think about my son every day. That's why we're here today and do this work, so another family doesn't have to go through what we went through," Tyler said.
Morton said the goal is to bring the city together to prevent violence and help families avoid experiencing that kind of loss.
"Violence prevention means that they don't have to have another sleepless night, that they are able to prevail and things happen," Morton said. "It's a city coming together to ensure that we all have safety."
