Julianne Moore Instagram – Satedra Smith of Chattanooga, Tennessee is this week’s #WomenCrushWednesday. A fervent advocate for gun violence prevention, Satedra is a fellow with the @Everytown Survivor Network and has been a volunteer with @MomsDemand for eight years.
Satedra’s life has been impacted by gun violence several times, from her grandfather’s shooting death when she was twelve to narrowly surviving an unintentional shooting years later that caused her internal bleeding, weakened muscles, and ongoing trauma. Tragedy struck again in 2015 when Satedra’s son, Jordan Clark, was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Chattanooga; this Sunday marks nine years since his passing. And just eight months ago, another one of Satedra’s sons, Joshua Smith, was taken by senseless gun violence in Atlanta.
“There is no way to fully heal from the death of a child,” Satedra shares. “The pain will always be there, and you will always feel the weight of your child’s absence.”
In the face of unspeakable pain, Satedra has proven her strength time and time again. She founded Jordan’s Light Foundation—named in honor of her son—to promote healing for survivors of gun violence by providing a safe place for care. She continues this support by sharing her story to inspire action and communicate to other survivors an essential message: They are not alone in their grief. She also advocates tirelessly for gun safety laws and even trained to run for office and work on electoral campaigns. Last year, she was honored by the NAACP for her outstanding civic engagement. From advocating at the state capitol to hosting community events, Satedra is an unstoppable force in the gun violence prevention movement.
Satedra has dedicated her life to ending gun violence in the names of her sons: “I advocate not because I want to—but because I have to, and to make sure other mothers do not have to experience the pain that I’ve endured. Whether it’s one son, two sons, three sons or four sons, or daughters, there are so many other people that I know my story will resonate with.”
Thank you, Satedra, for your selfless resilience, and all that you do to save our children’s lives. #wcw | Posted on 22/Aug/2024 00:47:18
