Augusta Community to Honor Victims During Gun Violence Awareness Month
AUGUSTA, Ga. – June marks National Gun Violence Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the growing impact of gun violence across the United States.
For Phyllis Jackson, the cause is deeply personal. In 2019, her 22-year-old son, Gerald Waldon, was tragically shot and killed in Augusta.
“My son befriended someone at work. That individual, along with three others, lured him out of the house and murdered him in a neighbor’s yard,” Jackson recalled.
Since that devastating loss, Jackson has become an advocate for change, working to increase community awareness and demand action.
“Kids should be able to be kids. Teenagers should feel safe at school, the mall, or the grocery store,” she said. “It’s vital that we come together as a community—and that we hold our elected leaders accountable.”
This Friday, Jackson invites the public to attend “An Evening of Remembrance and Call to Action”, an event to honor those lost to gun violence and unite the community in the fight for safer neighborhoods.
“This event shows that we stand together in both hard times and good times,” Jackson said. “We remember those we’ve lost, and we remind those indirectly affected that they too have a role in building a stronger, safer community.”
Attendees are encouraged to wear orange, the national color for gun violence awareness.
The event will take place at the Jessye Norman Amphitheater in downtown Augusta, beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday.
