By Robert J. Hansen | OBSERVER Staff Writer
Sacramento Moms Demand Action hosted a screening on June 6 of “Put Down the Guns,” a film featuring Ice-T that offers a sobering glimpse into the deep-rooted societal issues that perpetuate violence. The event at the historic Guild Theater in Oak Park drew survivors, advocates, and community members wearing orange shirts and wristbands to honor victims and raise awareness.
The event was organized by Deborah Grimes, chair of Sacramento Moms Demand Action, and Debra Ellison from the Stockton chapter. A panel discussion followed the screening that focused on the mental health impacts of gun violence and the path to healing.
Grimes lost her son, Gregory “Najee” Grimes, to gun violence in 2022 and since has become a vocal advocate for reform.
“I hope this film makes people think differently about how we approach gun violence,” she said.
The panel was moderated by Berry Accius, founder of Voice of the Youth, who frequently supports families in the aftermath of shootings.
“Gun violence doesn’t end when the shots are fired,” Accius said. “It ripples through our homes, our neighborhoods, and our hearts.”
A recent OBSERVER analysis found that although Black people make up roughly 12.6% of Sacramento County’s population, they accounted for about 52% of all gun-related deaths from 2019 to 2023.
The discussion included parents who have lost their children to gun violence and advocates dedicated to fighting gun violence through prevention, intervention or support for survivors.
The conversation centered around healing in the aftermath of gun violence and the impact gun violence has on the mental health of survivors and the advocates who work with survivors.
Anita Razo, mother of Giovanni Pizano, known as DJ Gio, who was shot and killed in April 2022, had never imagined her family would be impacted by gun violence.
“Losing my son has humbled me to my core. I will never be the same mother that I was even though I have other children,” Razo said.
For Razo, the support she received from Accius and other impacted parents like Grimes helped her heal from the pain of losing her son.
“The only comfort that I have found … is being able to help other mothers,” Razo said.
Although it has taken Razo almost three years to reach a place where she can help others who have lost a loved one to gun violence, she has dedicated herself to curbing it.
“I will throw myself on my sword to keep another mother from feeling this horrible pain that I live with,” she said.
The parents included Nathan Lopez, whose son Jacob Lopez was shot and killed in 2022, and Paula Anderson, whose 3-year-old daughter Azalya was killed by bullets fired at her house in 2018.
Lopez said mourning a child is particularly difficult and that he feels the pain every day: “He’s [Jacob] the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about before I fall asleep. It’s catastrophic grief.”
He said his emotions overwhelm him and that anger, sadness, frustration and grief seem to all come at once. Lopez also is raising his two grandchildren, who are living with the grief of losing their father.
Lopez said his advocacy against gun violence is how he heals from losing his son. “The only way I can heal is to be willing to help those that are also suffering,” he said.
Joseph, founder of the Think Twice initiative and part of the Sacramento County crisis response team said there is no such thing as healing after experiencing the loss of a loved one to gun violence.
“It’s a thing that you just have to learn to deal with” Thomas said.
Freddie Dearborn, advanced strategy trainer for interrupting gun violence with Advance Peace, said healing is different for everyone, but that having the proper support is crucial for anyone grieving the loss of a loved one.
Each panelist shared that the impact on their mental health is everlasting and all agreed that there is a severe lack of mental health services in Sacramento County. Lopez had to go to Grass Valley in El Dorado County for therapy because he could not find a therapist.
“There are more mental health issues than there are doctors,” Lopez said.
Ellison, whose son Charles Baker was killed seven years ago in Salt Lake City, said there are not enough mental health professionals who can effectively help people who have lost their children to gun violence.
Ellison wanted to be more effective supporting other mothers who have lost their children to gun violence. She had hoped to find a therapist who could empathize with parents who lost a child, however, she was unable to find one.
“I specifically requested a therapist that had lost a child themselves and there were none,” Ellison said.
Ray Lazada, a retired Sacramento County probation officer and director of the office of safe schools for Sacramento City Unified School District, suggested that anyone has the potential to help another with their mental health.
“We all have the potential to play a role in mental health and contribute to the wellness of another,” Lazada said.