Stop the Violence Rally brings a grieving community together

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) -The community came together for a Stop the Violence Rally. The rally was also a celebration of Kodi Davidson Jr’s birthday.

“Today’s rally is helping stop the violence in our community and bring our community together to do things that are fun, exciting, and mingling versus shooting and killing and things of that such,” said Qvester Jones, Mother of Kodi Davidson Jr.

A rally like this could be heavy but the mothers were looking forward to being able to build a community with one another.

“Meeting more mothers that were going through what I was going through. said Hazel Knight, Mother of Denisha Knight

“We can help each other get through this because I know I’ve never been through this before. I don’t know how to grieve this; I don’t know how to take it and it’s just sad that we have to go through this,” said Staphanie Ruffin, Mother of Damion Jeremiah Ruffin

“For us to all get-together and be on one accord and help each other. That’s what my non-profit organization, The Voice of Grieving Hearts, that’s what the mission is to reach out to other parents that are grieving as well,” said Jones

There we also guest speakers throughout the evening, and they spoke about what the community can do collectively to help strengthen the city.

The families also marched around City Hall calling for more peace in the community

There was also a message for those in the city that missed out on the rally.

“You missed a treat. Everything went good everything—the flow was good, the energy was good and that’s what we want,” said Jones

“By not coming out you’re not acknowledging what’s going on. We need to come out and acknowledge that we are losing our kids to senselessness,” said Knight

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