Santa Cruz Victims’ Rights March of Solidarity

Remembering lives lost to violent crimes. That’s why city leaders and residents came together in Santa Cruz county Wednesday.

The “Victim’s Rights March of Solidarity” started at the county courthouse and ended at city hall.

The march is part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The event draws crime victims and their families, even some showing up just to offer support.

“This is the one place where I can come together with people and I just feel this camaraderie that I don’t necessarily feel in other places” said Stacey Reynolds.

Stacey lost her son Robbie more than 8 years ago in a homicide at the Santa Cruz boardwalk. She spoke at the first march for solidarity and, this year, accepted an award for courage. She received the award in part for her efforts to help start a support group called Compassionate Friends of Santa Cruz County.

“Grief becomes a journey and how you choose to take that journey and get through each day is really dependent on sometimes the ability to just to talk to somebody” Reynolds says.

Those marching carried signs representing their experiences and photos of loved ones lost to violent crimes.

District attorney Jeffrey S. Rosell says the march was started by his predecessor 6 years ago. Since then, they’ve done it annually along with the “Victim Witness Assistance Program”.

“We do not want to forget that people have lost their lives” Rosell said of the march. “People have suffered and people continue to suffer, we want to raise awareness in the community.”

The DA’s office says thousands of people are impacted by crime, and they hope events like the march can bring about change.

“There are crimes that are taking place and, as a community, if we come together there are things we are able to do about it” Rosell said.

Stacey says through helping others like her and events like the march, she’s able to manage her grief and look back at her son’s life with positivity.

“I’m 8 and a half years out and I can find joy on occasion” Reynolds said. “I can hear my son’s name and I can tell stories about him and I can be happy about those stories.”

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week runs through Saturday and is put on by the U.S. Office of Justice Programs.

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