In a solemn annual tradition, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) hosted its Victim Services Tree Lighting Ceremony, a gathering aimed to provide solace for the families who have suffered the irreparable loss of loved ones through violence and traffic deaths. A recently held event at the Freedom division was attended by CMPD Chief Estella Patterson, community members, and law enforcement officials, who collectively paid homage to the lives forcibly taken and remembered the human cost of these tragedies.
During the emotionally charged ceremony, family members were given the chance to not only share in their collective mourning but to also visibly honor their loved ones. “Each family said their loved one’s name aloud and hung an ornament on the tree in their honor,” reported WCCB Charlotte. CMPD Sergeant Ricky Robbins underscored the importance of remembrance, saying, “That’s someone that lost a mother or father, sister, brother and that’s really hard to know that they have that many more years that they’re going to have to continue to go with that pain,” as per WCCB Charlotte.
One mourner, Tina Sykes-Mosley, turned her own despair into a lifeline for other grieving mothers by founding M.A.R.C.U.S: Mothers Advocating for Real Change and Unwavering Support. According to WBTV, her organization seeks to provide comprehensive support from the initial stages of loss through the often tedious court and trial process. This is just one of the many support mechanisms that surface as a by-product of shared loss, a testament to the resilience and solidarity among those marred by violence.
Advocates Pamela Blount and Shante Cotton lauded local efforts for bringing the community together to broach the subject of domestic violence, aiming to "help break the silence." At the ceremony, Blount passionately asserted to WCNC, “We’re talking about people who no longer have a voice. You know, my mom’s voice was silenced so I have to be a voice for her.” It's clear that such ceremonies serve not only to mourn but also importantly to advocate and educate, amplifying the voices that were unjustly silenced.
The drawing power of these events, which at face value serve to honor and remember, fundamentally underscores the larger societal crisis of violence rippling through communities. As the CMPD promises to extend its support to families through frequent meetings, Sergeant Ricky Robbins offers a sobering perspective, remarking to WBTV that those who have lost loved ones can "learn to deal with it a little bit better each and every day if you have a support team." Following the local division's ceremony, the CMPD will move the commemoratory ornaments to their Uptown Headquarters, where they will remain on display throughout the holiday season.
