In a sea of white outfits and fascinators tucked onto their heads, mothers from across the country gathered in Atlanta on Sunday, May 3, to celebrate, grieve, and remember the children they’d lost for Bereaved Mother’s Day.
The inaugural Kentucky Derby-inspired brunch event was hosted by The Rocket Foundation , an organization founded by rapper Quavo to end gun violence and honor the life of his nephew Takeoff, the youngest member of their Grammy-nominated rap group Migos, who was murdered in Houston on Nov. 1, 2022.
With sunglasses on and a bright red lip, Edna Mattox, Takeoff’s grandmother, walked the halls of the Waldorf Astoria Buckhead toward the cocktail hour of the event. Held close to her hip was a Chanel purse in the shape of a rocket. “I always keep my baby with me,” she said. Takeoff’s mother, Titiana Davenport, his younger sister Heaven, and Quavo were also in attendance. They joined tens of women as they hoped to form a community of healing and honor in order to alleviate the isolation that comes with losing a child and support mothers affected by gun violence.
“It’s three times a year that’s really hard. This is one of the major ones. Takeoff made me a mama,” Davenport said. “I pray that mothers will have a place, like a refuge, where they can get finances to help them grow. They may need spiritual help. They may need mental help. Because it’s all hard, and it’s all combined into one. So I pray that this day will allow them to feel that they can continue to go on and grow.”…