Group of Columbus mothers work to curb violence in the city

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- In the last four years, you might have seen a group of women around Columbus dressed in orange and camouflage. Those women are part of "Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children," a group working to decrease violence in the city.

Wednesday marked four years since the group's first-ever event.

“We had no idea that lightning in the bottle would happen and it would become what it is today,” said founder Malissa Thomas-St. Clair.

In 2020, Columbus was seeing some of the worst violence in its history, according to Thomas-St. Clair. Knowing the pain of losing a child to violence, she started the group the Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children alongside co-founder Karla Harris.

Since then, the group has grown to create real change in the city. Thomas-St. Clair said in those four years their mission has reached audiences around the world. The group's eagerness to create change has truly turned into a movement, she said.

“I believe that everyone was just ready, ready to start doing something different in a positive direction. And we're, we're happy to be the trailblazers,” said Thomas-St. Clair.

Just this past weekend, the mothers held their biggest event of the year.

Thomas-St. Clair said the turning point for their organization was when their goals started to align with the Columbus Division of Police.

In her eyes, their biggest accomplishments include bridging the gap between law enforcement and the community, bringing together women with similar traumas and allowing them to live again, and building a coalition of youth.

This year, their mission has been to keep the homicide rate in Columbus below 100 through Operation Under Triple Digits. Police have reported about 70 so far this year.

“What's working this summer is being intentional about where the hotspots are," Thomas-St. Clair said. "So, not waiting to go to those hotspots, not waiting to reach the demographic. We are seeing these violent occurrences. We are reaching out."

She said although this is not a club any of them asked to be a part of, it's a movement they are proud to be a part of.

Their next big event is a fall family fun festival on Sept. 29 at Champion Middle School.