#NNPA BlackPress

Leading Ladies After Loss

ABOVE: Angel Moms Funeral Support Community leader Calandrian Simpson Kemp presses forward to help other ladies heal and cope with the painful and tragic loss of a child to senseless gun violence No parent should have to ever bury their children, but sadly, that has become an all-too-familiar occurrence in the United States these days. […]
The post Leading Ladies After Loss first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

March 29, 2023

Forward Times Staff

ABOVE: Angel Moms Funeral Support

Community leader Calandrian Simpson Kemp presses forward to help other ladies heal and cope with the painful and tragic loss of a child to senseless gun violence

No parent should have to ever bury their children, but sadly, that has become an all-too-familiar occurrence in the United States these days.

At the time of this article, another school shooting took place, as another domestic terrorist murdered three children and three adults at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, March 27^th. This comes a little less than a year (May 2022) since a domestic terrorist fatally shot 19 elementary school students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, along with seriously injuring 17 other individuals.

The Village of Mothers Home Visit

Mass shootings are not the only acts of gun violence that brings severe pain, loss, and heartache to family members who have lost children to senseless gun violence, but those are the ones most talked about in the media. However a child is murdered, whenever a gun is used, it still hurts the same, and leaves a void in a family’s life that can’t ever be fully filled.

As we close out Women’s History Month, we wish to highlight a woman who is using her own emotional personal story to empower other women who have experienced the same pain she has.

The theme of National Women’s History Month for 2023 is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories”, which is something Calandrian Simpson Kemp has chosen to do for nearly 10 years since losing her son, George Kemp Jr., to gun violence.

On September 27, 2013, Calandrian found out that her 20-year-old son, George Harold Kemp Jr., had been involved in a fight with a group of teens in Richmond, Texas, which led to a fatal shooting that took his life after he sustained multiple gunshot wounds. George Jr. was a mechanics student who played free safety on both his college and high school football teams and had aspirations to join the NFL, before he was fatally shot.

Devastated after hearing the news, and suicidal at the time, Calandrian struggled to find an outlet to grieve and express her pain. Because she could not find the avenue to help her, Calandrian decided to turn her pain into purpose by helping other grieving mothers who she discovered were dealing with the same challenges. Calandrian created a platform to tell her story and allow other women to tell theirs through the creation of The Village of Mothers initiative.

The Village of Mothers is a group that Calandrian founded in 2014, with a mission to inspire hope by encouraging, building and strengthening mothers through faith by genuine friendships and resources.

When asked why The Village of Mothers is necessary, Calandrian states that when a mother loses a child, it throws them into a sea of despair and a hell hole called “grief” that is long suffering and includes too many unknown variables to navigate alone.

Angel Moms gather for an outing

“We know by experience that family and friends can provide empathy, but they will not be able to truly understand or relate to all of the emotions a mother who lost a child will experience,” said Calandrian.

Calandrian states that the mothers who are a part of The Village of Mothers, who she refers to as “Angel Moms”, are a part of a group that is necessary to help them navigate the judicial system processes and connect to community resources to engage in community engagement.

“It is vital to a mother who has lost a child to connect to a group like The Village of Mothers to be connected with someone who looks like them, which is another mother who lost a child because they can communicate what cannot be said, the hearts connected, and the road to healing can begin,” Calandrian continued.

Since the loss of her son, Calandrian has been dedicated to helping other mothers heal from the unsuspecting loss of their child to gun violence, and has been on the frontlines as an advocate for the passage of meaningful legislation to end gun violence in America.

In 2020, Calandrian was featured in a powerful ad during Super Bowl LIV, produced by then-Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg‘s campaign, which spotlighted her efforts to encourage lawmakers to take action on gun violence. Last July, Calandrian and her husband, George Kemp Sr., were invited to The White House to join President Joe Biden, members of Congress, civic leaders, and other family members who lost loved ones to senseless gun violence, to witness the historic signing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Since the launch of The Village of Mothers, Kemp has helped more than 700 moms nationwide, who have joined the group online. The mothers attend rallies and organize gatherings to encourage and uplift one another. Calandrian has also created meet-up opportunities for the Angel Mothers to engage in justice and accountability meetings with local officials, rally peace walks, serve as panelists for community forums, provide family support for criminal court trials, participate in peace talks, and travel locally and out of state to support the birthday and “Angel”versary celebrations of each Angel Mother’s child who is no longer with us.

Calandrian states that she is empowering other Angel Moms to find their voice through pain, to show up for themselves, to be present by engaging in peer-to-peer support group meetings, to attend outings, and to have one-on-one “real hard conversations” regarding their loss.

“Though sharing and storytelling, Angel Moms discover their next steps and how to find purpose in their pain,” Calandrian explains. “Angel Moms are empowered to ask themselves the question, “What would my son/daughter want me to do?” and then use that answer to find the light in their darkness of grief and turn around and be the light in darkness to become a voice of change.

Calandrian also states that members are strongly encouraged to take their health serious by partnering with an exercise buddy and taking advantage of health and wellness information they receive through the group early on in grief onset.

“Angel Moms are encouraged to keep sharing how they feel and by doing so this helps them to discover and idea of how find purpose in their pain,” says Calandrian. “Many of the Angel Moms have taken next steps into advocacy, changing laws, launching businesses, and starting foundations.”

When asked how the creation of The Village of Mothers has tangibly inspired other mothers to turn their pain into purpose, Calandrian points to several examples, such as:

A new mother, whose son was a college student who lost his life to gun violence, was aired on the local news, which prompted one of the Angel Mom members to reach out to her and meet her for a home visit. The Angel Mom member was able to connect with the mother during her most vulnerable time, even though there were family members around. Now, however, she had another mother who understood what she was facing and experiencing. The Angel Mom member was able to assist the mother with personal tasks that only the mother knew she needed. The two became friends and she eventually joined The Village of Mothers, and was supported through the years by the network of Angel Moms who stood with her during the time it took for the murderer of her son to be convicted and after.

An Angel Mom, whose son was murdered, joined The Village of Mothers and took her pain and used it to start a business in honor of her son. She continues to outreach to new mothers to let them know how she was able to overcome her grief.

An Angel Mom, whose son was a student at a local high school, was murdered by gun violence. She and her husband started a foundation in their son’s memory to provide care packages for college students and school supplies every year.

An Angel Mom in California, whose son was bullied at school and eventually murdered by gun violence, started a foundation to bring awareness about bullying and gun violence, and to provide local community session to engage the youth in programs to curtail gun violence.

An Angel Mom whose daughter was texting and driving on Mother’s Day in 2014. This Angel Mom would go to the location where her daughter was killed every day to decorate the location and sit in a chair. She joined The Village of Mothers support group online, and was able to be supported by other mothers. She began to extend herself and offer video storytelling for other Angel Moms in the group. A year went by and her and Calandrian were able to meet in person at the “Angel”versary event of Angel Mom’s child. As Calandrian spoke at the event, she asked the visiting mother to come stand beside her. Little did she know that she was going to ask her to share her story at the event. Calandrian took one small step backwards and it put her front and center. With s slight hesitation, she shared her story. This particular situation helped her get that initial lump out of her throat. She cried, but she kept sharing her story. As years went by, this Angel Mom got empowered and motivated by the encounter, and found her voice. In 2022, she testified in front of legislators and advocated for Hands Free Ohio legislation, and now they have a law: Hands Free Ohio.

Angel Moms in Houston came together as group to take their pain to the streets of Houston through the No More Bloodshed Peace Walk Initiative, to bring awareness to gun violence and to come out of their homes and not grieve in silence. The sought to show that gun violence was not the solution. Angel Moms were encouraged to bring the biggest picture of their child, who lost their lives to gun violence, and to march for justice and accountability.

Through their collective efforts, Angel Moms have traveled to Austin to rally at the steps of the Texas State Capitol and have participated in countless meetings focused on reforming gun laws. Many mothers have become violence interrupters in their communities and neighborhood schools.

When asked how she is able to help others when she continues to deal with the tragic loss of her son, Calandrian tells the Forward Times that she took up the cross that was placed upon her to help others because when she lost her son, there was no one who came to her, or who looked like her in her circle, who was suffering from the loss of a child like she had.

“Many people came and gave condolences, and were sorry for my loss, but no one told me that they had lost a child or understood what I was going through, or could tell me what I could expect next,” says Calandrian. “Afterwards, I found myself all alone and internally suffering. I fell into depression. So, many months went by and I prayed and begged God to send somebody to tell me about this new journey, because I was feeling so suicidal. One day God made it clear and gave me the vision to create what I needed. I knew there were other mothers in the city who looked like me, so I began organizing and galvanizing mothers who lost children to any cause. I am proud to say, I held my first Village of Mothers luncheon in 2014. Now, nearly 10 years later, my phone constantly rings, or I get a text message, or I receive many new member requests to join our online Village of Mothers Facebook group. I can now say to new mothers, “Welcome to the Village of Mothers, you lost a child, I understand!” This is my life and how I keep going!”

Calandrian states that the ultimate expectation of The Village of Mothers is to see mothers, fathers, siblings, and all who have been impacted by the unfortunate loss of a child, restored and made whole in a “new normal” by using the hand that was dealt to them to find purpose in their pain. She also wants the members to stand on their stories and be empowered to be the change they need to see and to put love back out in the universe.

The post Leading Ladies After Loss appeared first on Houston Forward Times.

The post Leading Ladies After Loss first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Forward Times Staff

Posts by Forward Times Staff

Up Next

LIVE! — HE SAID…, HE SAID…, HE SAID…: “LET’S GET NEWSY VI” — FRI. 3.31.23 7PM EST

Don't Miss

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Announces Run for Mayor

Forward Times Staff

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

COMMENTARY: The National Protest Must Be Accompanied with Our Votes

Just as Trump is gathering election data like having the FBI take all the election data in Georgia from the 2020 election, so must we organize in preparation for the coming primary season to have the right people on ballots in each Republican district, so that we can regain control of the House of Representatives and by doing so, restore the separation of powers and balance that our democracy is being deprived of.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper. File photo..

By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper

As thousands of Americans march every week in cities across this great nation, it must be remembered that the protest without the vote is of no concern to Donald Trump and his administration.

In every city, there is a personal connection to the U.S. Congress. In too many cases, the member of Congress representing the people of that city and the congressional district in which it sits, is a Republican. It is the Republicans who are giving silent support to the destructive actions of those persons like the U.S. Attorney General, the Director of Homeland Security, and the National Intelligence Director, who are carrying out the revenge campaign of the President rather than upholding the oath of office each of them took “to Defend The Constitution of the United States.”

In California, the primary comes in June 2026. The congressional races must be a priority just as much as the local election of people has been so important in keeping ICE from acquiring facilities to build more prisons around the country.

“We the People” are winning this battle, even though it might not look like it. Each of us must get involved now, right where we are.

In this Black History month, it is important to remember that all we have accomplished in this nation has been “in spite of” and not “because of.” Frederick Douglas said, “Power concedes nothing without a struggle.”

Today, the struggle is to maintain our very institutions and history. Our strength in this struggle rests in our “collectiveness.” Our newspapers and journalists are at the greatest risk. We must not personally add to the attack by ignoring those who have been our very foundation, our Black press.

Are you spending your dollars this Black History Month with those who salute and honor contributions by supporting those who tell our stories? Remember that silence is the same as consent and support for the opposition. Where do you stand and where will your dollars go?

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Why Black Parents Should Consider Montessori

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — I have found that there are some educational approaches that consistently provide a safer, more enriching, and more affirmative environment for Black children. The Montessori method, developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori and introduced to the U.S. in the early 20th century, is one such approach.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 9, 2026

Oakland Post

By Laura Turner-Essel, PhD

As a mother of four children, I’ve done A LOT of school shopping. I don’t mean the autumn ritual of purchasing school supplies. I mean shopping for schools – pouring over promotional materials, combing through websites, asking friends and community members for referrals to their favorite schools, attending open houses and orientations, comparing curriculums and educational philosophies, meeting teachers and principals, and students who all claim that their school is the best.

But keep in mind – I’m not just a mom of four children. I’m a mom of four Black children, and I’m also a psychologist who is very interested in protecting my little ones from the traumatic experience that school can too often become.

For Black children in the United States, school can sometimes feel more like a prison than an educational institution. Research shows that Black students experience school as more hostile and demoralizing than other students do, that they are disciplined more frequently and more harshly for typical childhood offenses (such as running in the halls or chewing gum in class), that they are often labeled as deviant or viewed as deficient more quickly than other children, that teachers have lower academic expectations of Black students (which, in turn, lowers those students’ expectations of themselves), and that Black parents feel less respected and less engaged by their children’s teachers and school administrators. Perhaps these are some of the underlying reasons that Black students tend to underperform in most schools across the country.

The truth is that schools are more than academic institutions. They are places where children go to gain a sense of who they are, how they relate to others, and where they fit into the world. The best schools are places that answer these questions positively – ‘you are a valuable human being, you are a person who will grow up to contribute great things to your community, and you belong here, with us, exploring the world and learning how to use your gifts.’ Unfortunately, Black children looking for answers to these universal questions of childhood will often hit a brick wall once they walk into the classroom. If the curriculum does not reflect their cultural experiences, the teachers don’t appear to value them, and they spend most of their time being shamed into compliance rather than guided towards their highest potential, well…what can we really expect? How are they supposed to master basic academic skills if their spirits have been crushed?

Here’s the good news. In my years of school shopping, and in the research of Black education specialists such as Jawanza Kunjufu and Amos Wilson, I have found that there are some educational approaches that consistently provide a safer, more enriching, and more affirmative environment for Black children. The Montessori method, developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori and introduced to the U.S. in the early 20th century, is one such approach.

The key feature of Montessori schooling is that children decide (for the most part) what they want to do each day. Led by their own interests and skill levels, children in a Montessori classroom move around freely and work independently or with others on tasks of their own

choosing. The classroom is intentionally stocked with materials tailored to the developmental needs of children, including the need to learn through different senses (sight, touch/texture, movement, etc.). The teacher in a Montessori classroom is less like a boss and more like a caring guide who works with each child individually, demonstrating various activities and then giving them space to try it on their own. The idea is that over time, students learn to master even the toughest tasks and concepts, and they feel an intense sense of pride and accomplishment because they did it by themselves, without pressure or pushing.

I think that this aspect of the Montessori method is good for all kids. Do you remember the feeling of having your creativity or motivation crushed by being told exactly what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and why? The truth is that when presented with a new challenge and then given space, children actually accomplish a lot! They are born with a natural desire to learn. It is that spirit of curiosity, sense of wonder, and excitement to explore that Montessori helps to keep alive in a child. But that’s not the only reason that I think Black parents need to consider Montessori.

Fostering a love of learning is great. But more importantly, I think that Montessori students excel at learning to love. It begins with Montessori’s acknowledgement that all children are precious because childhood is a precious time. In many school systems, Black children are treated like miniature adults (at best) or miniature criminals (at worst), and are subjected to stressful situations that no kids are equipped to handle – expectations to be still and silent for long periods, competitive and high-stakes testing, and punitive classroom discipline. It’s easy to get the sense that rather than being prepared for college or careers, our children are being prepared to fail. Couple this with the aforementioned bias against Black children that seems to run rampant within the U.S. school system, and you end up with children who feel burned out and bitter about school by the time they hit 3rd grade.

In my experience, Montessori does a better job of protecting the space that is childhood – and all the joy of discovery and learning that should come along with that. Without the requirement that students “sit down and shut up,” behavioral issues in Montessori classrooms tend to be non-existent (or at least, the Montessori method doesn’t harp on them; children are gently redirected rather than shamed in front of the class). Montessori students don’t learn for the sake of tests; they demonstrate what they’ve learned by sharing with their teacher or classmates how they solve real-world problems using the skills they’ve gained through reading, math, or science activities. And by allowing children a choice of what to focus on throughout the day, Montessori teachers demonstrate that they honor and trust children’s natural intelligence. The individualized, careful attention they provide indicates to children that they are each seen, heard, and valued for who they are, and who they might become. Now that’s love (and good education).

As a parent, I’ve come to realize that many schools offer high-quality academics. Montessori is no different. Students in Montessori schools gain exposure to advanced concepts and the materials to work with these concepts hands-on. Across the nation, Montessori schools emphasize early literacy development, an especially important indicator of life success for young Black boys and men. Montessori students are provided with the opportunity to be

successful every day, and the chance to develop a sense of competence and self-worth based on completing tasks at their own pace.

But I have also learned that the important questions to ask when school shopping are often not about academics at all. I now ask, ‘Will my children be treated kindly? Will they be listened to? Protected from bias and bullying? Will they feel safe? Will this precious time in their lives be honored as a space for growth, development, awe, and excitement? Will they get to see people like them included in the curriculum? Will they be seen as valuable even if they don’t always ‘measure up’ to other kids on a task? Will they get extra support if they need it? Will the school include me in major decisions? Will the school leaders help to make sure that my children reach their fullest potential? Will the teacher care about my children almost as much as I do?’

Consistently, it’s been the Montessori schools that have answered with a loud, resounding ‘Yes!’ That is why my children ended up in Montessori schools, and I couldn’t be happier with that decision. If you’re a parent like me, shopping for schools with the same questions in mind, I’d urge you to consider Montessori education as a viable option for your precious little ones. Today more than ever, getting it right for our children is priceless.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

LIVE from the NMA Convention Raheem DeVaughn Says The Time Is Now: Let’s End HIV in Our Communities #2

Set against the backdrop of the NMA conference, Executive Officers from the National Medical Association, Grammy Award Winning Artist and Advocate Raheem DeVaughn, and Gilead Sciences experts, are holding today an important conversation on HIV prevention and health equity. Black women continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV despite advances in prevention options. Today’s event […]

Published

3 weeks ago

February 3, 2026

Oakland Post

Black women continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV despite advances in prevention options. Today’s event is designed to uplift voices, explore barriers to access, and increase awareness and key updates about PrEP, a proven prevention method that remains underutilized among Black women. This timely gathering will feature voices from across health, media, and advocacy as we break stigma and center equity in HIV prevention.

Additional stats and information to know:

● Black women continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV, with Black women representing more than 50% of new HIV diagnoses among women in the U.S. in 2022, despite comprising just 13% of women in the U.S.

● Women made up only 8% of PrEP users despite representing 19% of all new HIV diagnoses in 2022.

● Gilead Sciences is increasing awareness and addressing stigma by encouraging regular HIV testing and having judgment-free conversations with your healthcare provider about prevention options, including oral PrEP and long-acting injectable PrEP options.

● PrEP is an HIV prevention medication that has been available since 2012.

● Only 1 in 3 people in the U.S. who could benefit from PrEP were prescribed a form of PrEP in 2022.