HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) – The New Year marks a new start.

Ahead of Jan. 1, a group of moms invites you to hear ‘From a Mother’s Perspective.’ The gun violence forum is free at the Hampton Public Library at 4207 Victoria Blvd. from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

“Our objective is to help with the mental health aspect of this reoccurring problem, with love, compassion and understanding,” said Deana Millin, founder of Second Chance Solutions.

Millin partnered with Nicole Ridley, coordinator for Coats for Da Kidz Inc., to help spread the word for the event. 

“It is deeper than you pulling out a gun and murdering somebody. There’s a domino effect and frontline is the mother and the other family members,” Ridley said.

The organizers want families to bring their teenagers.

“We need to reach them,” Ridley said. “We want to exude love in the room, we want to exude community, and we want to exude education. Hopefully we can reach a couple [teens] during this event. That is our hope.”

Up to 60 people are welcome to attend the event with music, light refreshments, and resources. 

“[We plan to address] them from the empathetic point [of view, like] this could be my mom or my auntie that has to share a story about me being killed due to gun violence,” Millin said. 

Dr. Sherri Watson will serve as the keynote speaker. Watson has been speaking against gun violence for years, even while working at the Newport News Juvenile Detention Center.

In August, her son was tragically killed in Hampton. Police report 26-year-old De’Quan Studwell was shot and killed after an argument. 

This weekend, Watson will share her story at her first public community event.