The Annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace (MDW4P) was founded in 1996 by the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute’s President and CEO Chaplain Clementina Chéry. The MDW4P was created for mothers of murdered children to receive support and love from their neighbors. When Chaplain Chéry’s son, Louis, was murdered, she wondered how she could grieve her son on Mother’s Day and also celebrate her living children. Twenty-seven years later, the MDW4P continues as a powerful way to honor loved ones who have been murdered and embrace our shared responsibility of peacemaking.
The Walk is organized by the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, a Center of Healing, Teaching and Learning for families and communities impacted by murder, trauma, grief and loss.
Last year in the United States, approximately 26,031 people were murdered. For every homicide victim, there are at least 10 immediate family members directly impacted by that death. It is safe to say that this year there are at least 260,310 new survivors of homicide victims dealing with the emotional, physical and financial stress of losing a loved one to murder.
This statistic doesn’t include the extended family members, classmates, colleagues, teachers, students or the families who are impacted by a loved one committing a murder. The toll of homicide affects the entire community and creates a large demand for the resources and the support that the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute offers.
28th Annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace Theme:
Our 28th Annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace theme is “Cultivating Cycles of Peace.” In our society, we are constantly looped into cycles of violence that overshadows the transformative power of peace.
Like a blooming flower, cycles of peace flourish when carefully cultivated. We have the agency to cultivate these cycles by empowering survivors, supporting returning citizens and their families and investing in Generation Peace.
We invite you to walk with us as we cultivate cycles of peace in our communities. Our goal is $600,000. With your help, we can reach it, together! Join us on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12, 2024, at 8:00 AM for more details click here.
