For The Birmingham Times
Imagine the sorrow felt by a mother working to turn her slain son’s memory into a legacy by creating a foundation designed to combat the violence that claimed his life. It takes fortitude to turn pain into purpose, allowing your grief to become someone else’s saving grace, aid, recovery, or even rehabilitation.
Yolanda Clayton’s 25-year-old son, Ryan Clayton, was murdered a year ago, and she has since formed a foundation to help at-risk youth and young adults across Birmingham and throughout Jefferson County.
“[Gun violence] is a major issue,” said Clayton. “There’s going to be a deficit of males in a few years because young Black men ages 20 to 30 are being murdered [nearly] every day in this area. We’ve got to get a better handle on this, and it starts with the younger generation, making sure they have a better mentality and understand that life is precious and [they] can’t go around killing.”