In the year since the Covenant School shooting, Tennessee’s gun reform movement has gained immense momentum. Activists have become fixtures at the state Capitol: they hold signs, attend floor sessions, get kicked out of floor sessions and and gather for press conferences and demonstrations. Mothers have been at the forefront of these efforts, balancing childcare and work along the way.
Shaundelle Brooks and Sarah Shoop Neumann have bonded over this activism.
Brooks is a mother of four who lost her son, Akilah DaSilva, in the 2018 Waffle House shooting. Following his death, she became a fierce advocate for gun reform, and is now running to represent District 60 in Old Hickory, where Democrat Darren Jernigan is not seeking reelection. Neumann is a mother of two whose older son, Noah, is a student at Covenant. Over the past year, she’s devoted herself to learning the workings of the state Capitol, tracking bills, testifying in committees and meeting with legislators.
Brooks and Neumann sat down with WPLN News at Brooks’ home to discuss their work, their friendship and the change they hope to inspire. What follows is an edited transcript of their conversation:
Rose Gilbert, WPLN: When you two look back at the past year, what has changed?
Neumann: I’ve told people my eyes have been opened to things I didn’t want to realize were going on, and I wish I could close them. But you can’t because now you have a responsibility. I do see some hope because I see more people coming together. While, no, we haven’t seen laws change for the better yet, I hope that getting everybody together in this, working together means that we will have that momentum to get change.
Brooks: Yeah, I totally agree with Sarah. I remember in the very beginning when I was going up there by myself, it was hard to find hope. But I didn’t have a choice, right? I am excited to see so many people, including herself, that are now with me and are fighting beside me.
Gilbert: I understand you two met through your advocacy at the state capitol. What does your friendship mean to you?
Brooks: You know, it’s sad that we met under these circumstances, but it feels good when a text shows up from Sarah, and she’s super encouraging. Even though she didn’t lose her son, I feel that trauma. You know, thinking, “My God, this could have been me. I could have lost my son.” I’m happy to have her.
Neumann: I’m proud of you. And I think you’re amazing. And you’re going to do changes. But you shouldn’t have to be the one that’s up there all the time. You should get to be with your family that you do have here and grieve together and just be together.
Rose Gilbert WPLN News Shaundelle Brooks (left) shows Sarah Shoop Neumann (right) a necklace containing her son’s ashes.
Gilbert: Do you think the legislators are surprised you’re still showing up, one year later?
Neumann: I think they hoped we wouldn’t be. And I do think some of it is to try to wear us down. And I’m not going to lie, it’s really hard. It’s hard when they tell you, “This is going to be on the schedule,” and then you devote three hours, and you are away from your family and then it’s not really heard. So you go the next time and then it’s still not heard. And you know, you’re wasting all of these hours away from family and not working.
Gilbert: Shaundelle, I see you nodding.
Brooks: Yeah. I totally agree. You know, when [Covenant] happened, it was so sad, devastating. Horrifying. And then I was like, okay, well where it happened, who it happened to — we had some kind of hope that maybe they’ll listen now because it’s Green Hills and it’s, you know, mainly a white school. They might listen then. But this is still who they are.
Gilbert: Sarah, your older son, Noah, is a student at Covenant. How is he doing?
Neumann: He wants to know “What if another person tries to come in? How will they be stopped now?” He’s asked “How many other schools has this happened at?”
You know, he misses people. He loved Mr. Mike. When he found out he was one of the victims, he just started crying and said, “Mommy, he’s the one who comes every single day at the end of our day. He makes our room perfect so we can play. And he knows us all.” He just loved Dr. [Katherine] Koonce.
Brooks: Children of this generation, the things that they have to deal with and the burden that they have to carry — the fear of this happening. You know, my son just turned 18, he’s getting ready to graduate and was in fear — I didn’t know that — he was terrified that he wasn’t going to make it to be 18. These are conversations that they need to hear. These are the things they need to hear.
Gilbert: What are your hopes for the future?
Brooks: I don’t know. Getting to know Sarah and some of the other moms. When we talk, we don’t care about Republican or Democrat. We talk as moms who’ve had a very bad experience, and about how we’re going to fix it. And how we’re going to be there for each other.
Neumann: You want to see any beauty you can come from the ashes. And if Covenant brought together communities all across this town and from all different walks of life, then I just pray that continues and that people continue working together.
Gilbert: What motivates you to keep doing this work?
Brooks: I don’t want to lose another child. It is hard. It’s six years and it feels like yesterday. I don’t want to lose another child.
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