Survivors of homicide loss gathered at Union University on Monday, Sept. 29, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for the School of Social Work’s 17th annual Remember Me Walk, an evening of remembrance, support and healing.
The free community event, organized by Union’s Center for Just and Caring Communities, began with a dinner in the Carl Grant Events Center. The program featured remarks from organizers Meghan Larson, associate professor of social work and director of the Center for Just and Caring Communities, and Nita Mehr, an invocation from President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver, music from Voices of Proclamation and an address from 26th District Attorney General Jody Pickens, who was presented with the Champion of Victims’ Rights Award.
Larson said the evening created an intentional space for survivors to honor their loved ones.
“A lot of times it’s the person who may have caused the tragedy that is often seen,” Larson said. “We often time forget the victims, and we forget their names. Tonight is about remembering those lives that left quite a mark of significance in those that are surviving that loss.”
Following the program, families carried photos, shirts and mementos of loved ones as they walked around Miller Tower, escorted by the Southside High School Navy JROTC and Liberty Tech High School Air Force JROTC. As “Amazing Grace” and “It Is Well” rang from the tower, Union students, faculty and staff lined the sidewalks with candles. Survivors spoke the names of their lost loved ones before releasing white balloons into the twilight sky.
Madison Colley, a junior social work major, said watching families circle the Great Lawn was both sobering and inspiring.
“Some families were crying, and some were laughing. You could tell there was a lot of emotion. It was really heavy, but it was also really humbling,” Colley said. “This is a big part of what social work is all about — being there for people. From a Union perspective, we’re called to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community.”
Mallory Hildebrand, a senior family studies major and Center for Just and Caring Communities intern, said the event revealed the healing power of shared spaces.
“Every family that came was able to find comfort,” Hildebrand said. “It opened my eyes to how creating a safe place to process and grieve something so hard can bring freedom and healing. It’s so necessary for Union students to experience this, to understand the realities others are struggling with and how to support them.”
Hildebrand added that children found a place of belonging at the event as well.
“Sometimes it’s easy to forget that children need space and comfort during grief,” Hildebrand said. “Seeing kids realize they were just as much a part of the event as their parents was so powerful. The gratitude in their eyes is something I will never forget.”
Todd Stanfield, dean of the School of Social Work, said Union’s mission as a Christ-centered university is crucial to the event.
“Union is uniquely positioned to serve as a beacon of hope and healing in our community,” Stanfield said. “Rooted in Christ’s call to mourn with those who mourn and bring comfort to the brokenhearted, Union extends compassion beyond the classroom into the lives of those facing profound loss and trauma.”
The Remember Me Walk was founded by Mehr and Blakely, emeritus professors of the School of Social Work who led support groups for families grieving homicide loss. Organizers say the event has become a tradition in Jackson, drawing families back to Union University’s campus each year to grieve, honor loved ones and find hope in solidarity.
