Crime survivors gather in vigil for victims and call for solutions to end violence

KINGSESSING - Inside of Salt and Light Church on Chester Avenue in Philadelphia, a crowd of people came together to share, heal and grow in honor of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

"It’s an amazing thing when we come together and we can love on each other and lift each other and we can support one another," says Yolanda Jennings, the Philadelphia chapter coordinator for Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice.

Jennings says the organization advocates for public safety policies that support crime victims. Right now, they’re working to bring a trauma recovery center to Philadelphia.

Jennings explains, "I, myself, lost my sister, my cousin and, just nine weeks ago, my 26-year-old son."

And yet, she’s here helping others just as her late son, Colin August Jennings, would want her to do. And it’s here, in the presence of fellow survivors, that Jennings feels her strongest.

"That’s why I’m standing here - because of all the support that I have. Because I know I’m not alone."

Leroy West is a pastor and the Director of Central Philadelphia Parents of Murdered Children. West says his 19-year-old daughter was murdered nearly eight years ago and events like this one help immensely.

"This is a family I never knew I had," says West. "We’re a part of a group nobody wants to be a part of, nobody asks to be a part of, but it’s here."

Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice is gearing up for its first-ever Crime Survivors Speak March on Washington happening in September. People will gather to share stories, honor loved ones and advocate for policies. More information on the event can be found on their website.

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Click here to find resources for victims of violence in Philadelphia.