The Everytown Survivor Network and Two of Its 2023 Grantees Helped Make the Los Angeles Adaptive Sports Fair a Success

On February 23, 2025, the Everytown Survivor Network partnered with local community-based organizations to host the Los Angeles Adaptive Sports Fair. The event was the first of its kind in the Watts community of Los Angeles, California. It promoted inclusivity, awareness, and empowerment for people impacted by gun violence. 

Local nonprofits, disability rights groups, healthcare providers, and sports organizations partnered to make the event a reality. The Everytown Survivor Network and two of its 2023 grantees, the Movement of Mourning Mother’s Association (M.O.M.M.A.) and A New Beginning 4 You Foundation (ANB4U), were involved in planning and hosting the event. Other event partners included:

• Angel City Sports
• SoCal Adaptive Sports
• Triumph Foundation
• United Fencing Academy
• USTA Southern California

Through the organizations’ collective efforts, fair attendees received professional coaching and adaptive equipment to participate in:

• Wheelchair basketball,
• Wheelchair football,
• Para-fencing, 
• Wheelchair tennis, and
• Boccia.

The missions of both M.O.M.M.A. and ANB4U are centered on supporting individuals and families impacted by gun violence. Tameco Brewster, the founder and president of M.O.M.M.A., said that the Adaptive Sports Fair represented resilience, empowerment, and inclusivity. To her, it was a reminder that everyone, regardless of physical ability or past trauma, deserves the chance to thrive, connect, and find joy through movement.

“Reaching out to those who have different needs due to injuries from gun violence is crucial because they often face unique challenges in their healing journey,” Brewster said. “Adaptive sports offer a path to regain confidence, rebuild strength, and reclaim a sense of independence. This event is about more than sports: It’s about restoring hope, fostering community, and proving that no obstacle should limit a person’s ability to live fully.”

ANB4U executive director Jamie Christian started her foundation to help fill the gaps in assistive services for patients and caregivers after a person is discharged from a hospital. For her, both ANB4U and the Adaptive Sports Fair have a personal mission. Her son survived a shooting in 2023, but was paralyzed from the waist down. “When I think of the Adaptive Sports Fair, I feel hope for my son, who played basketball weekly with his friends before his shooting,” Christian said. “Although the sport will now be played differently for my son, he still has the opportunity to play.” 

Around 30 gun violence survivors and approximately 100 other spectators, volunteers, and community partners attended the Adaptive Sports Fair. Several Paralympian athletes, a DJ, and a mascot and cheerleaders from the LA Rams were also in attendance. “By providing opportunities for people to engage in adaptive sports, we foster confidence, physical activity, and a sense of belonging in a supportive community,” Brewster said. “The impact is profound. Participants experience joy, newfound independence, and the encouragement to pursue their passions, while spectators gain a deeper understanding of the strength and resilience within the community of those living with a disability due to gun violence.”

Brewster started M.O.M.M.A. after her only son was taken by gun violence in 2011. She was angry, depressed, unable to work for a while, and emotionally drained by the death of her son. “It took a toll on my finances, health, and there weren’t resources available to assist me on my journey toward healing,” she said. “This motivated me to start my nonprofit and offer support to others in similar situations—the support I wish I had.”

The Adaptive Sports Fair was particularly meaningful for gun violence survivors and community leaders who attended the event. One participant, who had been wounded by gun violence, said he had been coming to adaptive sporting events in the Southern California region for 19 years, but had never seen a gun violence prevention organization at one until now. 

Organizers intentionally planned the event to fall during Black History Month, which Everytown marked with the theme “Survivors and Trailblazers: Leading the Fight Against Gun Violence.” Brewster and Christian remarked that this theme resonated both with their efforts at the Adaptive Sports Fair and with their daily work at their organizations. “Black history unites us and allows us to dig deeper and think bigger,” said Christian. “Violence prevention is essential to creating effective policies and strategies that address the specific needs of Black communities. That can take many forms, from supporting survivors and caregivers to providing space for joy and community. One band, one sound: We will all work together to fight gun violence.” 

For Brewster, being a Black survivor of gun violence is about more than overcoming tragedy. It is also “about using that experience to lead, inspire, and push for a future where gun violence no longer devastates families.” “Those who have suffered the most have the deepest understanding of what needs to change—and their voices, their pain, and their passion are the most powerful forces in ending gun violence,” said Brewster. “The Survivors and Trailblazers theme also reminds me of our ancestors and their relentless fight for freedom and equality. They endured oppression, violence, and systemic injustice, yet pressed forward with unwavering resilience. Today’s survivors of gun violence carry that same spirit of strength and determination. Our ancestors refused to be silenced, transforming their pain into progress. And we follow in their footsteps by advocating for safer communities and justice for those taken by violence.”

“One band, one sound: We will all work together to fight gun violence.”

—Jamie Christian, executive director of A New Beginning 4 You Foundation

The City of Los Angeles awarded Certificates of Recognition to M.O.M.M.A., ANB4U, the Everytown Survivor Network, and other planning partners for their efforts in bringing the Adaptive Sports Fair to Watts. Community members, city council members, and gun violence survivors also emphasized the need for this type of event and collaboration in the future.

For Brewster and Christian, one of the event’s successes was that several attendees learned about, and signed up to join, the Everytown Survivor Network. “I truly know that the Everytown Survivor Network saved my sanity after my son was shot. I now have a lifelong help line for my family,” Christian said. “I’m grateful to be part of ensuring that other gun violence survivors in Los Angeles know about this resource and the others available to support them.”

About A New Beginning 4 You Foundation (ANB4U)

ANB4U was founded in 2019. Executive Director Jamie Christian added a program for gunshot wound survivors after her son was shot and paralyzed from the waist down in 2023. She noticed that there were significant gaps for patients and caregivers after a person was discharged from the hospital, and she wanted to be part of the solution.

ANB4U provides an array of supportive services to gun violence survivors and caregivers in the Los Angeles, California, area. These include:

• Weekly survivor support groups
• Peer-to-peer mentoring
• Group counseling
• Caregiver support groups
• Wellness and wound care supplies

The 2023 Everytown Survivor Network grant funded a year’s worth of wellness and wound-care supplies for over 30 participants. These included:

• Wipes
• Chuck pads
• Hand sanitizer
• Gloves
• Depends
• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Deodorant
• Room spray

ANB4U understands that both survivors and caregivers need assistance. The foundation dedicates programming to allow caregivers to access a full day of self-care activities, ensuring that they are cared for in the same way they look after others. “ANB4U will continue to provide supportive services to gunshot survivors as well as their caregivers,” executive director Jamie Christian said. “We understand that in order to see progress in one, we have to work with both survivor and caregiver.”

About the Movement of Mourning Mother’s Association (M.O.M.M.A.)

Tameco Brewster founded M.O.M.M.A. after her only son was shot and killed in 2011. 

M.O.M.M.A.’s mission is to:

• Support families impacted by gun violence,
• Advocate for safer communities, and
• Provide healing spaces for those in grief.

The organization integrates emotional support with action. It uses awareness events, community-driven programs, and advocacy efforts to address both the root causes and the aftermath of gun violence. 

The 2023 Everytown Survivor Network grant supported M.O.M.M.A.’s youth survivor camp. The funds covered the rental fees and costs associated with program development, including:

• Cabins, activity spaces, and outdoor facilities,
• Grief counseling workshops,
• Team-building exercises,
• Arts and crafts, and
• Recreational therapy.

“Seeing grieving mothers and families find a sense of community, healing, and empowerment through our initiatives makes every effort worthwhile,” founder and president Tameco Brewster said. “We work to prevent future tragedies while honoring the lives already lost. By amplifying the voices of those directly impacted, we drive meaningful conversations and initiatives that promote safer communities.”

Learn more about M.O.M.M.A. on its website.