The Coalition of Concerned Mothers (COCM) was established in November 2015. It is a grassroot non-profit organization (NPO), founded and led by impacted mothers. COCM brings together mothers in the Washington DC region who have lost their children to police or community violence.
Our purpose is to offer a safe space for them to unapologetically grieve while being surrounded by experiential support to navigate their new life as part of this devastating sorority that none ever pledged for. Our reach at times extends to a national level.
We vow to stand in solidarity with impacted families through their journey for justice and accountability, the various phases of grief and healing, the legal and legislative processes at local, national and federal levels. Our work with leaders, advocates and allies is to create safer communities; to reduce the number of lives stolen by state sanctioned and community violence that disproportionately affect people of color.
We aim to be a catalyst to enact change to address the root causes of community and state-sanctioned violence in all forms that plague our communities, working both locally and nationally in partnership with families that have been negatively affected, concerned citizens, law enforcement agents, legislators, policymakers, ally organizations, and advocates for social justice and human rights.
We are a grassroots organization in the DMV creating collaborative partnerships with families affected by community violence and police brutality/terror. We identify and support legislative and community-initiated change while building a world in which all children are safe and all families are whole.
We are a collective of mothers, healers, creators, advocates, and leaders.
We are committed to supporting other mothers and families impacted by gun violence.
Marion Gray-Hopkins was born in Washington, DC. She has been a resident of Prince Georges County, MD for nearly 60 years. She’s a mother, grandmother, great grandmother and a retired banking executive. In 2000 she began her work as an activist in the movement for social justice, civil liberties and police accountability/reform following the senseless killing of her unarmed 19 year-old son Gary Hopkins, Jr. on November 27, 1999 by two Prince Georges County, MD police officers. She now speaks out locally, nationally and internationally on racism, systemic injustices and the need for police reform.
She is a member of the Prince Georges County Peoples Coalition. She served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional leader for Families United 4 Justice. Additionally, she served as a board member for the ACLU of Maryland and the Cordale Q Handy In Remembrance of Me Foundation.
She’s actively engages with organizations such American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Code Pink, Progressive Maryland, Maryland Campaign for Justice and Police Accountability (MCJPA), Black Lives Matter DC, Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, Stop Police Terror Project, NAACP LDF, the former Forced Trajectory Project, and Amnesty International.
In 2015, she co-founded and now serves as the Executive Director of the Coalition of Concerned Mothers (COCM), a nonprofit comprised of mothers whose mission is to stop police brutality and senseless community violence while identifying and supporting policy and legislative change.
She has received several recognitions for her contribution towards a future of equal justice for ALL. She is a recipient of the Washington Peace Center “No Justice No Peace Award”, the 2021 Love Not Blood Unsung Hero Award, the Community Actively Seeking Transparency (CAST)achievement award and a recipient of recognition by ALCU -MD and Maryland General Assembly for police reform achieved in 2021.
Rhanda Patricia Dormeus, Born and raised in Harlem New York moved to Maryland in 1988. She retired as a Registered Nurse. Mother to one son, three daughters, four grandsons, and seven granddaughters.
On Monday, August 1st, 2016, the life of retirement changed forever when her second oldest daughter 23-year-old Korryn Gaines was murdered by Baltimore County Tactical Force Officer 1st Class Royce Ruby. This same officer also shot and wounded her five-year-old son.
In February 2018, after three weeks of testimonies, and 1.5 hours of deliberations a jury of Off. Ruby’s peers found him improper in his actions and awarded the family 37 million dollars to which the presiding Judge Mickey Norman immediately overturned the verdict. Siting, “the Jurors got it wrong”. This decision was addressed in appellate court and was overturned and settled out of court.
These actions have plunged Rhanda Dormeus into the fight for justice for all. Rhanda Dormeus is now a member of two organizations, “Coalition of Concerned Mothers” (C.O.C.M.), which has a focus on BOTH COMMUNITY and POLICE TERROR, it was Co-founded by Marion Gray-Hopkins, the mother of Gary Hopkins Jr. And the #SayHerName campaign who has a focus on women and trans MURDERED by LAW ENFORCEMENT. It was Co-founded by Dr. Kimberle Crenshaw of the AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICY FORUM.
Rhanda Dormeus is now on a mission to help heal and enlighten impacted families. She knows that We Have to Make a Change and save other families from this devastation.
In the words of Gil Scott-Heron the “REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED”!
Pamela Brooks is from Washington, DC. She is a tenured federal government employee, and is first and foremost a mother of three, business woman, community organizer and leader.
Pam has always taken an active role in the legacy of her children and community. Seeing the lyrical, melodic potential in her son, Tionne, Pam took charge of the marketing and managing of his career. Through music business dealings, she observed the need for community support of local artists. In March 2014, Pam and co-creator Kalibur kicked off DMV Music to strengthen and unify the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia music market—bridging the gap between artists and connecting them with potential consumers, clients, investors, and fans.
When her youngest son Amir transitioned as a result of a police chase, Pam began her organizing work on the frontline of the movement for Black lives. Pam has created a number of platforms to advocate for police accountability, including the #NoChase Movement to ensure equity and transparency in police vehicular pursuit, and many virtual spaces & gatherings for other mothers across the country who lost their loved ones to police violence. She also speaks and organizes on a local and national level to fight for justice for stolen Black lives. Pam serves with the Coalition of Concerned Mothers as the Executive Secretary, Director of Community Outreach and Social Media Manager to support impacted mothers.
To increase support in her community in words and actions, Pam was involved in many other actions. She was a panelist for “You Can Sit with Us…Life After Death Edition” sponsored by Kingdom Chics with Dr. Lonise Bias. Pam co-founded Simply United Together (S.U.T.)—a catalyst for positive social change and community sustainability and empowerment. She sponsors food and coat drives, supports homeless people in accessing care, and leads outreach services. She also launched a radio show “The Pam & Peachez Show” on Ryze Radio. The Pam & Peachez Show led by diverse and outspoken Pamela Brooks and Lavonne “Peachez” Coates discusses relationship, communication, and financial concerns; civic matters of involvement; music and fashion entertainment.
My name is Gail Ann Hall. I am a 3rd generation Washingtonian. I am a mother of 4 children and we reside in the Eckington area of NE DC for the past 26 years.
I attended DC public schools and Norfolk State University. I am a federal government employee with 30 plus years of service and from 2012-2016 I served as the Communicator of the International Association of Machinist & Aerospace Workers Local 174 Union. I am a member of Spirit of Faith Christian Center and served in the Helping Hands Ministry as a Greeter. I am a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Redemption Chapter #14 Prince Hall Affiliated and have served in various roles within my Chapter.
My son’s death has brought me to a passion of advocacy to make it easier to get an adult loved one mental help and to hold law enforcement responsible for their lethal actions they take against the demographic of black women and men. I am seeking to find my place in this community of mothers in the movement.
I am an advocate of professional grief healing. The death of a child/loved one changes the dynamics of the families and communities lives traumatically. We are forced to learn a new way of life. And through parallel healing from like-minded people and resources that cater to this type of trauma, we can learn how to function in life after the trauma.
I have been supported by and have travelled with the Coalition of Concerned Mothers (COCM). I have been supporting them in the capacity of being the secretary. I enjoy doing this and find my son, Vedo Hall, very much alive with me in this life time endeavor.
