NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A movement of moms are working to ‘Take Back the Community’ from crime in their own unique way.

10 On Your Side first told you about Monica Atkins, the founder of Stop the Violence 757, who adopted a section of Effingham Street after her son Antonio Atkins was shot and killed in a drive-by 10 years ago.

Reginia Richardson-Bailey, a Stop the Violence 757 volunteer, adopted Manson Street after losing her son D’Vurille Bailey. During a clean-up on Manson Street in October, longtime friend Drenda Menser set out a goal to adopt Fenner Street in the new year to honor her son Keyontay Harris.

Exactly one month later, on Nov. 30, Menser was working to accomplish the goal by organizing her first clean up with Keep Norfolk Beautiful.

“Unfortunately, I’m on the block that my son was shot on,” said Menser. “I want to keep Fenner Street clean because it’s claimed so many lives. Unfortunately, I took a look into the background of the street after my son got shot and they have actually claimed the lives of 13 individuals back here on Fenner Street. You got everything back here from guns to drugs to obviously trash in the street.”

In October 2020, her son, known as ‘Kee Kee’ was shot in the leg on Fenner Street. 

“My son is Keyontay Harris. He died Nov. 19, 2020,” Menser said. “He got shot on Fenner Street, hit a femur artery. They got him to the hospital. He lasted 30 days, only to come home and only last 14 because of the drugs they were giving him inside. He wanted them on the outside. In turn, he went out and found some street-level drugs with fentanyl in it, so he actually died from fentanyl. I’m kind of on both sides here.”

Menser hopes more people will join her as she works to keep Fenner Street Beautiful.

“We’re out here today in celebration of his name, Keep Norfolk beautiful so that we can put his name out here on the block and turn it into Kee Kee’s way. It’s way too much going on out here,” said Menser.