Mothers for Justice and Equality celebrating 10 years of working to stop neighborhood violence
Mothers for Justice and Equality held its 10th annual luncheon to honor women who’ve overcome neighborhood violence on Saturday.
“Mothers that have shown great tenacity great advocacy in the community and we want to honor them because they’ve worked through their trauma, some of them have lost children to gun violence and they continue to just keep pushing,” said Arielys Morales, Event Planner, MJE.
Morales said the organization is working to end neighborhood violence by empowering families to change the normalization of it in their homes, schools, and communities. She said the group provides targeted support, education, and opportunities to advocate for peace as a community.
Saturday six women were honored during the luncheon at Franklin Park in Dorchester.
“My grandson was murdered on the MBTA bus New Year’s Eve,” said Eileen Paterson, Board Officer, MJE.
Paterson said the group not only helped her daughter but gave her support she didn’t know she needed and still turns to 15 years later.
“I too was traumatized because as grandparents we have to hold up our children we have to be the strong one,” she said.
Sophia Michel said she survived breast cancer and uses the group as her way to give back.
“I speak Haitian Creole so I also help out and translate to make things easier for the community,” said Michel.
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