First gun violence took her son. Then it took her grandson. 'The wounds open all the time'

Over 15 years ago, Sirena Cotton walked outside of her Lexington Avenue home to check on the sound of teenagers fighting and watched as a single bullet tore through the air and stole the life of her youngest son, Christopher Jones, at just 16.

Cotton knelt beside him, compressing the gunshot wound along the side of her son’s chest, as Jones told his mom he loved her.

Hours later, he was gone.

In the decade and a half since, Cotton has dedicated her life to infusing that love into spaces stained by hatred.

Through her organization, ROC the Peace, the Rochester woman holds a support group for mourning parents and caregivers whose children were either killed or incarcerated because of violence. She walks area neighborhoods to raise awareness for available resources and shines a light on the city's unsolved murders still waiting for justice.

Cotton easily culls volunteers to help guide youth toward better decision making and is a reliable presence at local anti-violence forums. Each September she hosts a ceremony in honor of the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims.

Community efforts: 'There is support out here': To prevent killings, anti-violence groups walk Rochester blocks

But in those 15 years, Cotton has watched with despair as Rochester endured several waves of violence, peaking with a record-breaking year of homicides in 2021. Shootings are trending down so far this year, but still, as of mid-July, 26 people have been killed.

“The wounds open all the time,” Cotton said. “Hearing a young person getting killed takes you right back.”

And this year, those deaths included her grandson.

ROC the Peace: Turning pain to peace

Eric Martin Jr. was shot and killed during a midday drive-by shooting on Dewey Avenue on May 31. He was 21 years old, with a baby on the way, Cotton said.

She said her grandson was sitting in his car, waiting for his younger sister to pick up some food from the restaurant where their mother worked, when he was shot. The Rochester Police Department is still investigating the incident.

Like Cotton years earlier, her daughter-in-law found herself cradling Martin during his final moments.

“There are times when I want to give up because like, is it worth it?” Cotton said of her efforts to quell violence in Rochester. “Am I doing something? Am I doing what I’m supposed to be doing? I have to talk to God like, ‘God lead me.’”

But then she’s reminded ― through an interaction with a newly bereaved mother or a conversation with someone who was once incarcerated and now working for redemption ― of the organization’s motto: “Peace begins with me.”

“I don’t have the solution,” Cotton said. “I’m trying to figure that out for myself.”

And in 15 years she’s realized she can’t save everybody.

“But if you made an impact on at least one person, especially a young person, then you did what you’re supposed to be doing,” she added. “We did our part.”

And so, she keeps going.

ROC the Peace Fest is back July 22

This year, even amid raw grief, her efforts include the 14th annual ROC the Peace Fest, set for noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at Jones Square Park. The festival started as a way to honor Jones’ birthday in July, Cotton said, but quickly evolved to commemorate all victims of violence in Rochester and offer families a space to free themselves of worry ― even if just for a few hours.

“Every day is a struggle … living without your loved one,” Cotton said. “So I look at this day as a day where everyone can just enjoy.”

At the festival, families will find free food, child-friendly entertainment like bounce houses and horses, a gospel hour and DJ, and community vendors, including free haircuts by a local barber.

More from Rochester Peace Collective: Can barbershop talks curb gun violence in Rochester? LaVonn Wilson thinks so.

And most of all, they will find what Jones left her with: Love.

“This is my therapy,” Cotton said. “This helps. The love from other organizations and the community. It doesn’t take away the pain, but it helps with it.”

Kayla Canne reports on community justice and safety efforts for the Democrat and Chronicle. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com or on Twitter @kaylacanne.

Rochester Peace Collective: About the series

City leaders directed $5 million to anti-violence programming through the Rochester Peace Collective. The Democrat and Chronicle is writing a series of profiles on each of the grant recipients and how they plan to help promote peace in Rochester.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Loss turns to love at Roc the Peace Fest honoring homicide victims