The Christopher A. Pugh II Center is deeply honored to host Moms on a Mission, a heartfelt, community-driven gathering created to support and uplift families who have lost children to gun violence.
This event carries great meaning as we partner with Rhovonda Shai Flagg, a mother, author, and advocate who, like our founder J. Machelle Pugh, has experienced the devastating loss of her son to gun violence. Together, these two courageous mothers are transforming grief into purpose, using their pain as a powerful platform for healing, awareness, and change.
🌿 A Gathering for Healing and Strength
Every mother who attends Moms on a Mission carries a story, a story of love, loss, and resilience. This event provides a sacred space where those stories can be shared openly, where tears are met with compassion, and where hearts find strength in one another.
Through shared testimonies, words of comfort, and moments of reflection, participants will experience a sense of belonging and renewal. It is a space to pause, to remember, and to begin rebuilding together.
🕊 Honoring Lives and Inspiring Change
Gun violence doesn’t just end lives; it reshapes families and entire communities. Both Rhovonda Flagg and Machelle Pugh know this pain personally, and they’ve committed to ensuring that no mother has to walk that journey alone.
Moms on a Mission is not only a gathering of remembrance, it’s a movement for transformation. Together, we will raise awareness, challenge the systems that perpetuate violence, and stand in solidarity with mothers determined to see change.
Through storytelling, dialogue, and connection, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of the trauma that families endure and the collective responsibility we all share in creating safer, more compassionate communities.
🤝 Building a Future of Compassion
At the Christopher A. Pugh II Center, healing occurs in a community setting. By partnering with incredible advocates like Rhovonda Shai Flagg, we are extending our mission to bring light into dark places, to rebuild hope, one heart and one story at a time.
Together, we honor our children’s legacies, strengthen our voices, and reaffirm our commitment to a future filled with justice, healing, and peace.
📅 Date: Sunday, October 19 🕑 Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
📍 Venue: Christopher A. Pugh II Center 757 Walnut Knoll Lane, Cordova, TN 38018
🍽 Dinner will be provided
Join us as we celebrate courage, nurture healing, and walk alongside mothers who are turning tragedy into transformation.
Together, we are Moms on a Mission, determined to bring hope where hurt once lived.
This blog was written by J. Machelle Pugh
J. Machelle Pugh is the CEO and Owner of Milestone of TN and Transition Workforce, Inc., two organizations dedicated to advancing opportunities for individuals who are often overlooked in the workforce. With decades of experience as an advocate for people with disabilities, she has built a reputation for her unwavering commitment to equity, empowerment, and community impact. Through her leadership, both enterprises provide comprehensive, specialized, and individualized training that prepares disadvantaged job seekers to secure integrated, competitive employment opportunities across Tennessee and Mississippi.
In October 2021, following the tragic loss of her only son, she founded the Christopher A. Pugh II Center (CPC), a nonprofit organization that stands as both a legacy and a beacon of hope. CPC is dedicated to equipping youth and adult males with the tools to thrive, offering computer information technology training, workforce development programs, career readiness support, individualized mentoring, and wraparound case management. With a vision to break the cycles of poverty, incarceration, and unaddressed mental health challenges, CPC creates pathways to economic opportunity and holistic transformation for men at risk.
Machelle is known as a firebrand leader, resilient in the face of adversity and deeply grounded in her purpose. Her work bridges advocacy, entrepreneurship, and community development, always guided by the belief that personal growth and access to opportunity are the foundations of thriving communities. She embodies servant leadership, transforming personal pain into a mission that uplifts others and redefines what’s possible for those who have been denied access to opportunities.
Her legacy is one of hope, purpose, and empowerment, helping people not just to survive, but to soar.
