Quavo and his Rocket Foundation descended on Atlanta’s St. Regis last night to meet with the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention at the Fortune Impact Initiative.
The fireside chat, titled “Turning Pain Into Purpose: A Conversation on Gun Violence,” featured a panel discussing their experiences of losing a loved one to gun violence and what can be done to prevent it in the future. Moderated by Fortune Executive Editor Kristin Stoller, the panel included Greg Jackson, White House OGVP deputy director; Takeoff’s mother Titania Davenport; and Takeoff’s grandmother and Quavo‘s mother, Edna Maddox.
During the chat, Jackson shared his own experiences as a victim of gun violence. “I started in this movement because I was shot in April 2013, very similar circumstances to how Takeoff was killed,” he said, explaining why he started pushing for change in Congress. “Simple things like investing in victim services, supporting community, supporting families after loss, which the federal government was not doing.”
Davenport also spoke on how her son’s death inspired her to demand gun control. “I want my son’s name to continue, his legacy to continue to grow,” she said. “So while I was crying, I was like, I need something that can help impact other people. Because I know I’m one individual person, and I can’t change the world. But I can do my part. So turn your pain into passion, and my opinion is you take what you’re going through and you flip it, as I like to say, grow, and then you go.”
Quavo founded the Rocket Foundation in Nov. 2022 after his nephew and Migos co-member Takeoff was shot and killed. He’s worked closely with Vice President Kamala Harris to address the issue of gun violence. Last September, he went to the White House to meet with Harris and discuss gun control, and this past June, he partnered with Harris for the inaugural Rocket Foundation Summit that took place in Atlanta.
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