Healed People Heal People campaign looks to ‘reimagine public safety’

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Multiple organizations are making their way across the state of Tennessee to raise awareness about resources for victims of crime.

Their first stop was right here in the Bluff City.

WREG spoke with the mother behind the campaign who said she wants to help reimagine public safety.

Rafiah Muhammad-McCormick from the Middle Tennessee area said her son was killed on July 9, 2020, in her backyard.

She said her son’s accused killer was sentenced to serve at least one year but no more than six years in prison.

“You can’t give me my child back,” Muhammad-McCormick said. “He (the accused killer) can’t give me my baby back with his body. So, instead, I wanted to give him the opportunity to restore something that he took.”

She said she asked the judge and District Attorney to add a mentorship program to the sentence.

“We need to focus on how we are able to help them take account because you holding account ain’t really doing nothing for me,” Muhammad-McCormick said. “You holding people accountable ain’t doing nothing for me if they don’t account.”

Since then, she’s used the knowledge she gained during that process to educate victims and their families on the resources available to them.

That’s why she and other organizations are traveling across the state for their “Healed People Heal People” campaign.

Memphis was their first stop.

“When I was at the legislature during this session and working on this victim’s compensation bill, [I’m] constantly hearing Memphis being used as an example to support these – I’ve got to say – over criminalizing, over incarcerating of our babies and at the same time they’re not supporting our babies,” Muhammad-McCormick said.

Most recently, she worked with lawmakers to expand the requirements for those seeking help from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Program .

According to the Tennessee Department of Treasury, the fund was established as a last resort to financially assist innocent victims of violent crime in Tennessee that results in personal injury.

Certain family members of deceased victims may also be eligible for compensation.

C. L. Tim Williams with the Greater Memphis Chapter of Parents of Murdered Children says his organization helps guide families through the application process.

However, he says many are rejected mainly due to timeliness.

“Now, they have 15 days to get it in and they have a few more days to correct anything that’s deficient,” Williams said.

Organizations in attendance said the ultimate goal is to reimagine public safety while helping families heal.

“It’s about what happens when that person is incarcerated and making sure that they’re getting the necessary tools and resources that they need,” said Heal 901 Executive Director K. Durrell Cowan. ” (So) that when they are reacclimated back into society that they can be a productive member of society.”

If you are a victim of a violent crime or the family member of a deceased victim, you can visit this website to see if you are eligible for financial assistance from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund.

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