Co-Founders
Pamela Bosley
Annette Nance Holt
Annette Nance Holt
After one of her sons, Terrell Bosley, was shot and killed on the grounds of a church in 2006, she changed directions to make a difference in the lives of youth and of parents whose children were taken by violence. As St. Sabina’s Violence Prevention Manager, Pam has empowered young people to be leaders and self-advocates, guiding them to discover their own voices and abilities to bring change to their communities.
Pam is one of the co-founders of Purpose Over Pain. Pam believes that because her son Terrell can no longer speak, she is now his voice. Together, she says, “we can change the narrative of our youth and our communities by ending senseless gun violence.”
Annette Nance Holt
Annette Nance Holt
Annette Nance Holt
In June 2007, tragedy found Annette in the forefront of what has become her life’s passion: common sense gun legislation that addresses gun violence. Her only child, then 16-year-old Blair Holt, was fatally shot by a teenager while heading home from school on a CTA bus. Blair saved his friend’s life that day by pushing her out of the way.
Annette has rallied around and supported parents who, like her, have lost a child to gun violence, with the creation of Purpose Over Pain as one of its co-founders. While Annette prayerfully wishes her work was done – that Purpose Over Pain could cease – she knows that as long as guns are readily available, and children are victims of gun violence then her work as an advocate is far from over.
Tommie Bosley
Annette Nance Holt
Tommie Bosley
When Tommie’s eldest son, Terrell Bosley, was shot and killed on the grounds of a church in 2006, this life event forced Tommie to choose a different path for his own life – to make a difference in the lives of youth and parents whose children were taken by violence. Tommie is currently the Executive Director of the Strong Futures Program at the St. Sabina Church, which is designed to address the needs of disconnected youth and young adults, between the ages of 18-24, who are justice-involved and/or have other barriers to stability, by connecting them with full time-employment. It is Tommie’s hope that the organization can continue in its mission to impact the lives of victims, as they fight to end gun violence in our communities.