Boston’s Mother’s Day Walk For Peace Goes Virtual In Light Of Coronavirus Pandemic

While coronavirus containment measures have forced the cancellation of many events, a lot of others are opting to go virtual, including Boston’s 24th annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace.

The fundraiser benefits the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, an organization dedicated to ending the cycle of gun violence and helping families who have been impacted by murder and grief.

Tina Chéry, the founder of both the Institute and the event, told Jim Braude on WGBH News’ Greater Boston Wednesday that she’s looking forward to the virtual walk, which she will host with NECN and NBC Boston anchor Latoyia Edwards.

“This is the first time NECN and NBC Boston is doing this, so we feel it’s a historic moment. But the idea and the vision is at 9 a.m. we come in, Latoyia and I are on, we’re having a conversation. We’re greeting speakers,” she said. “We have inspirational videos. There’s a chat going on. People are competing and it’s really coming together virtually.”

Chéry founded the Peace Institute in honor of her son Louis Brown, who was killed by gang crossfire in Dorchester in 1993. She explained the annual walk is a celebration of those lost to gun violence.

“We are saying as a community: we do not raise our children to kill and we do not raise our children to be killed. So, what better way of coming together and showing the power of the communities, especially those of us who have been impacted by the worst of the worst?” she said.

In the past several weeks, the city has seen an uptick in gun violence — with seven people shot in five separate incidents, including one man who was killed, according to the Boston Police Department. It’s incidents like those that the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace hopes to halt altogether.

“We really need to find the way of bringing not just the individuals, but families together, because the victims that are being killed and the young people that are killing were not even born when Louis was killed. And that should be troubling for all of us. We have to stop blaming the children for the ongoing violence," Chéry said.

Chéry also mentioned that her family is struggling with their own coronavirus battle: her mother and sister were recently diagnosed with the illness.

“My sister is home recovering and she’s doing good. My mom is not. My mom is in critical condition so we’re just asking for prayers. And she is just loved so much and she’s just not doing good,” Chéry said.