Orange Peace Party Honoring Hadiya, Victims Of Gun Violence
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago teen, whose 2013 death prompted a national movement to stop gun violence would have turned 21 today.
Hadiya Pendleton's birthday was part of the wear Orange Party for Peace in Chicago's Bronzeville neigbhorhood.
CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker has the story.
It had all the makings of a birthday party: music, food and lots of fun.
Only the birthday girl wasn't there.
15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton, King High honor student who had at performed with the school's drill team at President Obama's second inauguration, was killed in 2013.
"It's been a very humbling five years of my life," said her mother Cleo Pendleton, who is now preparing for the trial of the two men charged with her daughter's murder.
"I don't know what to expect. I'm going to go to court and I'm going to pray that justice is done," she said.
Preachers, politicians and community activists. They all came to the party to honor the lives of those affected by gun violence.
Mothers like Valerie Burgest.
"My son was killed December 28, 2013," she said.
Craig Williams was 23. The victim of mistaken identity.
"I hope we can get to a place where no mother has to experience the pain that I felt upon losing my son, my only child," said Burgest.
Promoting efforts to prevent gun violence is the purpose of the party.
Children scribbled in chalk the names of recent school shootings across the country.
That's what's prompting high school sophomore Miracle Boyd to join the party, and join the movement.
"It's prompting me to fight for everything I believe in, like funded schools, and for the city of Chicago to end gun violence," she said.
One of the men who allegedly shot Hadiya was only 18 at the time and had gone to grammar school with her.
That trial is scheduled for August 14th.