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Brandy Martin/ Photo: Tiffany Frank
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I had the rare and amazing opportunity to connect with one strong warrior woman who is making a difference in the world - Brandy Martin. Through her grief and despite her pain, she fights for others who have gone through loss to help them find peace and share their stories.
Brandy Martin is from Chicago. She is a widow and a mom of two children. She lost seven people in eight months, two of which were her sister, 37-year-old Felon Smith, and her 22-year-old daughter, Akeelah D. Addison. They died a week apart from one another. Smith was struck and killed by a train on the CTA red line on June 27, 2019 and Addison was shot and killed from gun violence in the early hours of July 5, 2019.
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Felon Smith/ Photo Courtesy: Brandy Martin
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| Akeelah D. Addison/ Photo Courtesy: Brandy Martin |
The pain that Martin experienced didn't destroy her, quite the opposite - it pushed her to go beyond and help others who have lost loved ones due to police brutality, gun violence, sex trafficking, among many others. That's why she started making and working on her documentary "No Love" so she can help shed light on untold stories and tell them as they are - raw, authentic and real.
"I started the documentary two months after the death of my sister and my daughter. I cried out for attention to their cases to make sure people don't forget to say their names. It was put on delay and it wasn't until two months down the line that I decided to put a hold on the documentary because I didn't have the budget or mental strength for it. I started it again in September of this year. The documentary became bigger than my tragedy and grief. I wanted to share it with others who have all suffered from gun violence, domestic violence, negligence, mental illness, sex trafficking and police brutality," said Martin.
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Photo: Tiffany Frank
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Photo Courtesy: Brandy Martin
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Photo Courtesy: Brandy Martin
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Photo Courtesy: Brandy Martin
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| Photo Courtesy: Brandy Martin |
In her documentary, Martin is highlighting untold stories. She calls the moms who have experienced a loss or death, "warrior moms." "Although it is rough they are looking at someone who went through this and is able to tell it and has survived it enough to continue to become great. Maybe there is a little girl going through it and she doesn't know there is a way out, a strength within herself to overcome it."
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| Photo Courtesy: Brandy Martin |
In the documentary, there are stories about missing children, cold cases that have happened 37 years ago, among many others. She hopes that people will get some answers because of it. "I am also paying tribute to these stories to a lot of families that are not involved to let them know I genuinely care. I want the world to pay attention to their pain and victims. Often their stories don't get told."
Martin was raised by strong women who taught her what it is to fight. "I see things in color when I should see them in black and white. I am a broken person who is always looking to fix someone else to make sure they never feel the way I felt in my 43 years. I have seen death all around me my whole life. It affects you especially with a loss of your child."
Martin shares how losing her child created feelings of guilt in addition to her grief. She said she constantly questions herself if she could have done something to stop what happened to her daughter and protected her better. This is what makes her so empathetic to other people who have lost someone because she understands how they feel.
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| Photo Courtesy: Brandy Martin |
"A big piece of you also died with the victims. I understand you can't sleep. I think when you lose your people you need more support and love. It will never be ok. We will never get that normal day we are searching for. They are never coming back and that part of your normal life doesn't exist and for mothers who bear their children stolen and taken away by gun violence it is a big loss. We are not supposed to burry our children. They are supposed to burry us. Days go by and you learn how to continue to live. You will forever grief and that type of loss when they are taken and even when they are lost is what is unbearable."
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| Brandy Martin/ Photo: Tiffany Frank |
She encourages the ones who are in pain and have lost people they loved to keep fighting and speak up. "The shooters are not going to speak up. The streets won't talk and the dead can't talk for themselves. It's our job and mission for the ones we say we love and for other mothers and for people who are already going through it because it is a war we will never stop. We will forever be rallying. My daughter can't fight this fight so I need to do it for her. Lean on God and trust him in your darkest hour. I am a strong and spiritual person. I trust God with everything. I want to spread love and light."
Martin says that the world is experiencing changes and a shift bigger than Covid 19. "It is a spiritual shift," she says. "Many people are not prepared for it."
Martin has a weekly podcast, Redd Spot TV, which takes place every Wednesday LIVE on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. She also has her own entertainment company, Big Redd Entertainment.
Martin has started a foundations to pay tribute to her killed sister and daughter, called #NOLOVEONTHEPLATFORM #NOLOVEONTHESTREETS.
Martin has set up a Toy and Coat Drive for the victims of gun violence and anyone is welcome to donate to her cause.
You can follow Brandy on:
Facebook: @BrandyMartin
IG: @followmysmile_ Red
Twitter @BigRedd_ent
