Moderator: Kristin Stoller, Editorial Director, Fortune Titania Davenport, Takeoff's Mother Greg Jackson, Deputy Director,White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention Edna Maddox, Takeoff's Grandmother and Quavo's Mother
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00:00Welcome, and thank you so much for joining us.
00:03Tatayna, I want to start with you because I think tonight is really about turning pain
00:07into purpose for you and your family.
00:09So before the tragedy occurred and your son, unfortunately, was shot, did you have a stance
00:15on gun violence and did this tragedy change your thoughts?
00:19Well, yes, I had a stance on gun violence.
00:23I'm totally against gun violence.
00:26I'm not against people having a gun and owning a gun because guns don't kill people.
00:33People behind the gun kill people.
00:35So all the tragedies and stuff that was happening nationwide and everybody was watching, it
00:46just really touched my heart.
00:48And then Yovaldi when the kids at the elementary school, that really touched my heart by me
00:55having a school-age child and how that came about.
01:01And then now, right now, it has, you see it on TV and then it's in your backyard.
01:09Right now in Georgia, that high school, Appalachian High School, trauma, that's about like maybe
01:1730, 35 minutes from Athens.
01:19So it's like right in our backyard.
01:21So that really had me to revisit my trauma in reference to tape and really push me to
01:29do more because this is an ongoing problem and it's growing bigger and bigger.
01:40And it just needs to...
01:42We know the problem, but we need to come up with more solutions to the problem.
01:47And you came up with one with the Rocket Foundation.
01:49Can you tell me about how you came up with that and how it started?
01:53Okay.
01:54In my pain, I was in the kitchen and a vision came up on me and it was like, I want my son's
02:02name to continue, his legacy to continue to go.
02:07So while I was crying, I was like, I need something that can help impact other people
02:13because I know I'm one individual person and I can't change the world.
02:18But I can do my part.
02:22And so turning your pain into passion, in my opinion, is you take what you're going
02:30through and then you flip it, as I like to say, you grow and then you go.
02:37You dissect what you're going through and then you pick out what...
02:41And then the positive can make a huge impact.
02:45Collectively, we can do a lot, you know, one individual, but it has to be everybody taking
02:51their part to come together to work as a whole.
02:56So when you grow, you get that, and then you go, you help.
03:00Because I found what helps me is helping other people.
03:05So if I can help, that's where I get my satisfaction from, helping others, you know.
03:10So if I can prevent one mother from experiencing what I'm experiencing, I can help one father,
03:17one grandmama, one auntie, cousin, friend, any family member, not to walk in my shoes.
03:23I'm willing to do my part, turn my pain into passion, helping someone get through.
03:29Absolutely.
03:30That's amazing.
03:31That's amazing.
03:32And Greg, you're doing similar work from the federal government angle of it.
03:39Can you tell me about what prompted you to get into gun violence prevention?
03:43Yeah, I'm a little emotional right now.
03:45I'm so proud, you know, because unfortunately, I met this family when they were in mourning.
03:55And I saw, and Mama Edna, I saw my mom, you know.
03:59And for me, I started in this movement because I was shot in April of 2013.
04:04Very similar circumstances to how Takeoff was killed.
04:07It was an argument that got out of control.
04:10And the bullet that hit me hit two arteries, nearly costing my life.
04:14And I spent six months in recovery and got within 20 minutes of dying from blood loss.
04:21And all I could think about in that time was, man, like, I can't, my life can't end like
04:25this.
04:26I got to figure out how to make something of this moment.
04:29And when you are, when your entire world is disrupted and you are bedridden for six months,
04:34all you can think about is how do I prevent someone else from going through the same type
04:38of tragedy.
04:39And so that's what sparked a fire in me.
04:42First just telling my story, then second, being an activist at the local level, helping
04:48to address crisis in D.C. where I lived at the time.
04:52But then my family friend Trey was shot and killed in Greensboro, North Carolina.
04:57And I saw a big difference between how big cities were attacking this problem and how
05:01smaller towns and really the entire South was being overlooked on the crisis of gun
05:06violence.
05:07And so that's when I started speaking up towards Congress and started pushing for change there.
05:12Simple things like investing in victim services, supporting communities, supporting families
05:16after loss, which the federal government was not doing.
05:21And all of that activism started to take hold.
05:25And in 2022, Congress passed the first bill on gun violence in 30 years.
05:30The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
05:32And I was a big part of the activism that made that possible.
05:35And most importantly, made sure to include it, yeah, please, but we made sure that that
05:42law included investment and resources, not just regulations, but how do you provide resources
05:48for families that are hurting, for leaders who want to take on more, organizations like
05:53the Rocket Foundation that want to get out and support others in the community.
05:56How do we resource that?
06:00Recognizing that they're extremely effective at reducing violence.
06:02And so that's how I got involved.
06:04And then once the law was passed, we were celebrating, it was a big White House event
06:08and everybody was clapping and I was in the back like, oh yeah, we did it.
06:12And we talked to a few of the staff and said, all right, who's going to implement this?
06:14And they said, well, maybe you.
06:16And so, yeah, well, you know, thanks.
06:21Yeah.
06:22Yeah.
06:23I still worry about it.
06:25And I really, I really in my mind said, no, five times, like, I can't do this.
06:30Who am I to do this?
06:33But honestly, it was meeting survivors along the way, you know, me and Titania and Miss
06:38Edna here and hearing their pain and their activism and them pushing all of us to do
06:44more.
06:45And then thinking about Trey and thinking about my own tragedy that why not survivors?
06:50Why not people who've been through it be the ones leading the charge to change things?
06:54So that's what emboldened me to take this position and be a part of this first ever
06:58office of gun violence prevention.
06:59Amazing.
07:00Now, I think one of the things that frustrates me and I'm sure frustrates all of you too
07:03is that, you know, for me, it's been 12 years since Sandy Hook happened almost.
07:07And every year I wonder why hasn't more been done?
07:11And I'm sure you feel the same way with your instance as well.
07:15Why do you think progress has been so slow?
07:18What needs to be done that is not being done?
07:21Yeah.
07:22Well, I think a big thing that's changed, because I do think we've seen a lot of progress
07:27in the last two years.
07:28So since 2022, we passed the first law in 30 years.
07:32The federal government has invested $30 billion into public safety since the end of COVID.
07:39And President Biden has done 54 executive actions on the issue of gun violence.
07:45That's more than any other president combined.
07:47Just to give you some context, the previous three administrations only did four and we've
07:51done 54.
07:52And that's huge.
07:53That's huge.
07:54And there's two parts to that.
07:58There's the story of leadership and vision and wanting to do that.
08:01But I think the real historic story is so many survivors and activists that have stepped
08:06up and demanded change and said, look, we're not going to just cry and grieve alone.
08:11We're going to demand action and we need more than thoughts and prayers.
08:13And so if it's OK, I want to yield to Ms. Edna because she cornered me at an event in
08:19Atlanta and that's kind of how we met.
08:22And I would love to kind of yield to her to talk about this is really one of those survivors
08:27who demanded more.
08:29And I would love for you to share your story.
08:30Oh, hey.
08:31Hi, everybody doing tonight.
08:33I am so grateful that y'all taking this time out to hear a little bit of our story, although
08:39it's still devastating.
08:40We're still hurt.
08:41We're still sad.
08:42But at the same time, we know we got to keep going because if we can prevent one person
08:50from going through what we going through now, it'll be a great accomplishment.
08:56A lot of people say, well, how are y'all going to change the world?
08:59People we don't don't think we could change the world.
09:04I said if we could change one person or one family that has to go through what we're going
09:09through, because October the 30th would be two years since I have not talked to my baby.
09:16I have not seen him, although I talk to him in the spirit, I have not seen him in flesh.
09:22And it really hurt us so bad.
09:24It devastated my whole family.
09:27We know that with God's help, we're going to get through.
09:33But we know it's going to take time.
09:36And that's the only thing I'm asking from God to help us get through it.
09:41Because one thing about it, I know, and I taught them, Quavo is my son.
09:47We got to lean on God for the understanding.
09:49We don't know.
09:51But if we just trust in God and let him help us and lead the way, we might or we could
10:00get through it.
10:01And going back to what Greg said, he came to my son's.
10:05He had this thing called Huncho Day annually.
10:09And I didn't know who he was at first.
10:11I thought he was my son's coach.
10:14And I was like, you, you, you.
10:17I said, my son was really good and you didn't.
10:21He said, wait a minute.
10:22What you talking about?
10:23I didn't bench him.
10:24And instantly he said, wait a minute.
10:25No, I'm not.
10:26I'm starting a fundraising thing for gun violence.
10:35I said, oh, yeah, let me help, please.
10:38I'm sorry.
10:39Let me help.
10:40And that's how we met each other on that day.
10:42And since then, I've been wanting to just go out there and do whatever I could.
10:48Like I say, I know I'm not superwoman.
10:53But my first takeoff was my first grandson, my first grand.
10:58The consolation that I get from that, I know he knew that I loved him.
11:05And it was vice versa.
11:06He loved me, too.
11:08But like I said, I could prevail with one person, one family.
11:13Yeah.
11:14Yeah.
11:15Excuse me.
11:16No.
11:17And not to go what we're going through.
11:22My mom passed, and I was devastated.
11:26But she did live to be 75, almost 80.
11:29There was a young man that was out there trying to make it.
11:35His thing that he used to say all the time, it's not about me.
11:39It's about my family.
11:40Mm-hmm.
11:41He said, this thing is bigger than me.
11:44And I never knew what that meant up until this tragedy happened.
11:49He loved us, and we loved him, too.
11:52One of the things he always used to tell me all the time, even the hard times that I was
11:57having.
11:58I'm pretty sure everybody went through not being able to pay their bills.
12:01And he said, mama, we're going to make it.
12:06And he said, you won't have to worry about nothing.
12:08I got you.
12:11And from that day, I told him, I said, look, I don't care if you work at McDonald's, fried
12:17them fries.
12:18We are going to make it.
12:19Mm-hmm.
12:20We're going to do it because we love each other, and we've got to stick together.
12:24But just like I say, it's hard for me to talk about it.
12:29I don't know when and how I'm going to be able to get over it.
12:33But I'm trusting in God to help me through and help my family through.
12:38And I really appreciate y'all just listening to this.
12:42I got a lot more and a lot more story, but we don't have enough time.
12:46We'll save that for the dinner.
12:47Thank y'all again so much.
12:48Thank you, Edna.
12:49I thank you for sharing your story.
12:50Truly.
12:51Truly.
12:52And, Craig, I want to go quickly to you and Titania, too.
12:53I want to end on what is giving you hope?
12:54Because I feel like with a lot of these stories, it's hard to believe and feel hope in that
12:55something could change.
12:56So really quickly, I'd like to ask each of you, what do you want your legacy to be and
12:57what's giving you hope?
12:58And, Craig, we can start with you.
12:59Look, this gives me hope.
13:00You know, I've been through a lot.
13:01I've been through a lot.
13:02I've been through a lot.
13:03I've been through a lot.
13:04I've been through a lot.
13:05I've been through a lot.
13:07but I watched them march in the Capitol hill, sit down with 24 members of Congress, share
13:16their stories, tears in their eyes, but demand policy change.
13:27Right?
13:28into them passing a budget that included, now,
13:32we've invested over $400 million into community-based violence
13:35intervention programs.
13:37That's their story, right?
13:40Like, we all saw March for Our Lives when that happened,
13:43when you saw youth from all over the country march down
13:46Pennsylvania Avenue and demand change.
13:49And there are survivors in every community
13:51across the country that are pushing and fighting for change.
13:54And that's what really inspires me every single day,
13:57that right now, we know that one in five Americans
14:01know someone who's been shot or killed.
14:03But we're not just being survivors.
14:05We're not just being victims.
14:06All of us are turning in, turning around,
14:08and fighting for change, helping our fellow community
14:11members, pushing for policy.
14:13And it's starting to work.
14:15And that's the big thing that's really giving me hope.
14:17Last year, in 2023, we saw the steepest decrease
14:19in homicides in American history, 11.6% reduction.
14:24And this year, the first six months of this year,
14:26we've seen a 22% reduction.
14:28And just to make this real tangible, in Boston,
14:31we have 13 homicides.
14:32In Newark, New Jersey, 27, right?
14:35And we just left Philly.
14:37Philly has seen a 43% reduction in one year.
14:40So the investing in community-based strategies,
14:43the activism of survivors, the policy changes
14:46that are happening at Congress all the way down
14:48are starting to really turn a corner on this issue,
14:51and it really gives me a lot of hope and excitement.
14:53Amazing thing, Greg.
14:54And quickly for you, Titania, do you
14:56want to end on one word that gives you hope,
14:57or what do you hold on to?
14:59What I hold on to is my belief in God.
15:03That's what gives me the hope to continue to sit here and be
15:07in my same mind and speak to you guys, my belief.
15:11My second, my kids.
15:15I was talking to heaven when that's my 16-year-old,
15:18and I was going through it.
15:20And she say, mommy, I don't know what I would do if something
15:23happened to you.
15:25And that touched my heart.
15:26That gives me hope.
15:28Third thing is people, hurting people,
15:32give me hope that help and want to extend my heart.
15:38If left up to me, no one would have to go through anything.
15:42But it's not up to me.
15:44You know, just me particularly, just one me.
15:46It's collectively.
15:47But that is where my hope lies in, my faith in God.
15:50I know that he promised to never leave me,
15:54never forsake me.
15:54He's with me.
15:56And no matter what comes in my life, where it goes,
15:58he's still there.
15:59And I can hope on him.
16:01When man, I can put my hope in him.
16:04So that's been particularly.
16:06Thank you so much.
16:08Thank you for sharing your stories.
16:09And thank the three of you for being here.
16:10I'm sorry, Greg.
16:11I know.
16:12Quick five seconds.
16:13Quick five seconds.
16:14All of you in this room, there are
16:16rocket foundations, are important organizations
16:19to invest in.
16:20Almost every community has a violence intervention
16:22organization, whether you're in San Antonio, or Los Angeles,
16:26or Chicago, Illinois.
16:27And I deplore you.
16:28Please invest in these organizations
16:30that are turning their pain into purpose and saving lives.
16:33But thank you.
16:34Thank you so much.
16:35I appreciate it.