URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Several Champaign-Urbana mothers and community members are gathering this weekend in an effort to achieve Victory Over Violence.

The 2023 Community Peace Walk is organized by Charika Warren. She’s the mother of Montrell Emery Jr., who was shot and killed in March. She and other mothers will walk in Urbana in honor of loved ones lost to gun violence.

Taren Nance, Emery’s mentor and former principal of Urbana High School, is also attending the event. He said it’s a moment to help all victims of violence and teach people to stop the tragic cycle at a young age.

“If you’re someone in this community, it impacts you too,” Nance said. “So I hope everybody comes out and just feels how those mothers grieve and continue to pour into their children, to pour into the community. To make sure they know ‘My child was not a gangster or a gang banger. My child was someone who was proud of the fact that he lost his life, it’s sad. So how do we as a community heal from that?'”

Anyone interested in coming can meet everyone on Saturday at 11 a.m. near East Main and North Vine Streets.