Families of Lexington gun violence victims honor loved ones, call for change at Peace Walk
Cathy Swain lives across the street from Duncan Park, and she remembers the day in 2014 when 21-year-old Antonio Franklin died after being struck by gunfire not intended for him.
When Franklin’s mother, the late Anita Franklin, began hosting the Antonio Franklin Jr. Violence Intervention Project Peace Walk soon afterward, Swain was always there to walk and support Franklin’s mission of restoring the community and encouraging people to speak up about violent crime.
“I know a lot of these babies that are coming up. I knew their families. It’s personal,” Swain said. “I feel like if you’re not a part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem.”
Swain said she’s always come to the walks.
“But it was never for my own,” she said.
That changed on Nov. 20, 2021, when her son, Pietro Swain, was killed by gunfire while sitting in his car in the same neighborhood. He was 28 years old.
On Saturday, Cathy Swain was among those who spoke the names of their loved ones before this spring’s Peace Walk.
She said being a part of events like the walk and especially the survivors support group that Anita Franklin started have been healing for her.
“I was so angry. I had so much hate in my heart,” she said in an interview. “If you’ve never lost a child, you have no idea.
“I had to change my way of thinking, and that was part of the process.”
Before the walk, people visited the booths of dozens of community support organizations that lined Duncan Park while children had their faces painted, ate snow cones and bounced on inflatables.
“Seeing all the smiles, all the laughter. It doesn’t get much better than this,” said Ricardo Franklin, the son of Anita Franklin and brother of Antonio Franklin.
Gerald “Geo” Gibson, founder and executive director of Operation Making a Change, said the Peace Walk “lets parents of kids lost know that people care, and we’re not going to be defeated by the negativity that surrounds us.”
”We need to do more of coming together,” he said.
Speakers before the walk included members of the local faith community, law enforcement and government leaders, alongside the families of those who have lost loved ones to gun violence.
Several people called for reforms to gun laws and mentioned the recent mass shootings in Louisville.
“When the money of the NRA becomes the conscience of those who are elected to represent us, then we have to make a change,” said Rev. C.B. Akins. “The marches are nice, but we’ve got to vote. We’ve got to get some folk who have a conscience to do what’s right.”
Since Anita Franklin’s death in 2020, her children have continued her legacy, and on Saturday, they honored her as well as their brother Antonio and other gun violence victims.
In November 2020, Ricardo Franklin took over the community outreach position she left vacant in the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. He is now the peace walk organizer.
“As long as there’s shootings in Lexington, we’re still going to be working,” he said.
He said just a few community partners came out to that first peace walk his mother hosted nine years ago. This year, there were 38 groups represented. He said its encouraging to see such a diversity of people committed to spreading a positive message.
“This is exactly how a park is supposed to look,” he said.
Anita Franklin’s daughter, Laneshia Conner, runs the Lexington Stryders Club, a youth track program, and on Saturday her organization was among those set up around the park.
The track club was recently awarded a grant through One Lexington, which is working with community partners to address gun violence. She said the Stryders program, which is registering new participants now, keeps kids active, boosting physical and mental health.
Before the Peace Walk began, Ricardo Franklin called the members of the support group his mom founded, We Are Survivors, to the stage behind him, and he asked others in the crowd who had lost loved ones to gun violence to stand.
“This group behind me is here for you,” he told them. “Don’t ever feel like you’re alone. You always have a place with us.”
As the line of hundreds of walkers gathered at the corner of Duncan Park, he and Conner moved to the head of the crowd. Behind them was a larger-than-life mural of their mother, smiling serenely.
They bumped fists and grinned.
And then they began to walk.
This story was originally published April 22, 2023 at 7:41 PM.
