Local woman trying to end gun violence after daughter’s death

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A local mother is taking aim at fighting gun violence, all after her daughter was caught in the crossfire.

She shared how she has turned her pain into a passion for helping young people.

“The gun violence has to stop. My friend just lost her daughter in June, so now I’m with her mother, helping her grieve,” said Jaismin Morris.

Morris lost her daughter Amya Monserrat just over a year ago. Amya was 15 years old when she was shot and killed outside of Martha’s Boulevard Tavern in April of 2023.

“As far as emotions, every single emotion that I didn’t even know about, it came up,” Morris said. “It’s sad, but it also helped me to acknowledge the emotions that I felt and identify them.”

In the months since, Morris has been helping children who have been impacted by gun violence through the Amya Marie Foundation which she started in her daughter’s name.

“A lot of things that I talk about center around controlling our emotions, giving love and always thinking positive,” she said.

Last year, her foundation provided mentorship to 12 young people. This year, she is hoping to expand the program to serve more of the area’s youth.

“When you get advice from someone who has been through it, it kind of hits differently, so I know my words hit different being that I experienced this,” Morris said.

Standing with Amya’s younger sister, Journey, who was just eight months old when Amya was killed, Morris has made it her mission to care for as many kids as she can.

“We want gun violence to stop. This is our youth. It’s not mine; it’s our youth,” she said. “I know what they need. They just need love, and they need guidance, and they need someone to motivate them daily.”

For more information on the Amya Marie Foundation , or to enroll in the mentorship program, email support@amyamarie.org or call 330-974-6083.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.