Earlier this month, students from the School of Social Work participated in the annual Remember Me Walk on campus, now in its sixth year.
The annual event, held this year Oct. 7, honors families who have lost a loved one due to criminal homicide.
The event is hosted by the Trauma, Faith, and Resilience Initiative of the Center for Just and Caring Communities of the School of Social Work at Union.
“The event provides an opportunity for families to publicly honor and remember loved ones lost to homicide in a safe community of like others,” said Terry Blakley, professor of social work.
Blakley said the event developed out of a community support group for homicide-loss survivors and was facilitated by Blakley and Nita Mehr, associate professor of social work and acting director for the Masters in Social Work program.
“Group members felt strongly that the greater community forgets that the victim of criminal homicide had a life that was cherished and full of promise, and that days, and months and years were stripped from them in one sudden, violent, purposeful act,” Blakley added.
Blakley said that out of this longing to remember lost ones, the Remember Me Walk was born.
This year’s event began with a community dinner at the Carl Grant Events Center, which included an announcement of the winners of the Champion of Victims’ Rights Award, District Attorney Jerry Woodall, and Director of Victim Services for the Tennessee Board of Parole, Tina Fox.
Blakley said Fox was also the keynote speaker of the night, delivering a message that “encouraged families of homicide-loss to find courage and support from each other and to know that they are not alone in their loss.”
A walk around Union’s Miller Tower quadrangle followed dinner and a release of white balloons, honoring the lost loved ones, Blakley said.
Upon leaving the event, each homicide-loss survivor was given a teddy bear in memory of his or her lost loved one, Blakley added.
In addition, Blakely said that Union undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni played a role in hosting the event.
“Both graduate and undergraduate social work students take the lead in organizing and staffing the event, aided by many other Union students representing both men and women’s Greek organizations, the International Justice Mission and others who care about the Micah 6:8 mandate to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God,” Blakley said.
Blakley added that Cassie Osborn, a graduate social work student, was instrumental in organizing the majority of this year’s event, aided by Cindy Galewski and Donald Jordan, Union alumni from the School of Social Work.
At the end of the event, Union students, community law enforcement officers, criminal justice and victim advocate personnel and city leaders formed an “honor line” by holding candles on either side of a walkway, in which homicide-loss survivors walked in honor of their lost loved ones, Blakley said.
“Some wept, while some held their heads high as they carried pictures of loved ones,” Blakley said. “It was a time to remember, to be strong in the midst of sorrow and to practice putting one foot in front of the other.”
