Ride for Life in West Philadelphia honors gun violence victims and raises awareness
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Organizers of a procession of empty hearses hoped to raise awareness of gun violence while supporting the families of victims with the Ride for Life in West Philadelphia on Sunday.
Family members, friends and members of the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association called the names of loved ones lost to gun violence.
"He was the epitome of an amazing, amazing son," said Michele Parker, whose son Evan Marquis Baylor had his name called.
Baylor was 23 years old when he was shot and killed in front of his Overbrook home in 2021. Parker said she joined the group Sunday to keep her son's memory alive.
"Those dreams that I had for him as a parent will no longer manifest because he is no longer here," Parker said. "So, I have to make sure that there will be other families that will have the opportunity to have their children and hug them a little bit longer."
Parker joined a procession of several empty hearses in the Ride for Life through Philadelphia. As of Thursday, May 2, the city reported 79 people died from gun violence so far in 2024. Funeral director Amina Callands co-chairs the "Put Them Jawns Down" Committee. She helped launch the event because she's tired of seeing so much death.
"We, the funeral directors, are the ones that have to care for these families," Callands said. "We have to guide them through. We have to raise money for families to bury their loved ones."
Callands said she wants politicians to work harder to get ghost guns off the streets in order to save lives.
"We're asking them to find these individuals that are committing these crimes. We're asking them to continue to allocate resources to the community," Callands said.
Kevin Amir Bowman was also there. His son, 22-year-old Kevin Allen Walker, was killed in 2007. Bowman hoped the caravan would move families to talk about gun violence.
"I'm hoping that the people see these hearses and they get tired of it, because at some point, you have to get tired," Bowman said. "When are we going to get tired of this death?"
Parker said the legacy of the victims is to turn trauma into a drive for action.
"We don't have all the answers, but we have to start somewhere," Parker said. "And if this is a catalyst for starting something somewhere, then this is where we need to start."