Pastor Brenda Mitchell
“I want to bring purpose to my son’s death”
Her whole world changed when she lost her son Kenneth from an act of gun violence. From her trauma and witnessing too many in our communities suffering from trauma, Pastor Brenda Mitchell dedicated herself to help impacted mothers and families heal from their trauma and continue to tell their stories. Today, Pastor Brenda Mitchell is an activist bringing awareness to complicated grief, persistent trauma and trauma-informed resources to recover from the impact of gun violence through Moms Demand Action & Everytown Survivor Network.
“I was passionate about common sense gun laws - and I still am - but I realized that there was a bigger message that needed to be addressed and talked about and that was trauma.”
Passion is something that should be nurtured and cultivated. It’s important to understand what brings you passion. When you have a clear understanding of your passion, you find that doing the work is easier. Listen to Pastor Mitchell’s story of finding her passion and her advice for the next generation.
Gun violence is a public health crisis. For Pastor Mitchell, seeing children in our community taken from gun violence is a crime on humanity. Hear her trajectory to the incredible dedication in gun violence prevention and helping impacted families heal from this trauma.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being supported in your work. When you’re championing a cause you’re passionate about, having someone believe in your vision and what you’re trying to achieve can be extremely motivating. Pastor Mitchell expresses her appreciation for being championed and supported in her work by Live Free Illinois and fellow organizations.
“Here with Live Free, I’m still being championed and supported, and I appreciate that. Each one, reach one.””
How would you define your legacy? How do you want to be remembered?
Your legacy is the mark that you’ll leave on the world. It’s how you’ll be remembered by future generations. You can make a difference in your own community, and your impact will be felt for generations to come.
Pastor Mitchell talks about how she hopes her legacy will be defined.