Mom Who Lost Son In Sandy Hook Massacre To Speak In Livermore

LIVERMORE, CA — Scarlett Lewis' life changed forever one December morning in 2012 when her 6-year-old son, Jesse, was killed along with 19 other children and six adults during the shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

Lewis, who since founded the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement, will speak about "social emotional learning" at a community event at 7:30 p.m., Aug. 16 at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore.

In the days following Jesse's death, Lewis discovered a sense of hope in three words her child had written on the kitchen chalkboard before school on that tragic day: "Nurturing, Healing, Love." Lewis became convinced that consciously choosing love instead of anger and hate was essential to creating a healthy, safe and happy world. She founded the Choose Love Movement, developing a school curriculum to teach children about the power of gratitude, forgiveness and compassion.

This curriculum will be taught throughout all grade levels in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District during the 2018-19 academic year.

"The Sandy Hook tragedy started with an angry thought in a shooter's head. And an angry thought can be changed," Lewis said in a statement.

The shooting occurred on Dec. 14, 2012, when 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot his mother at his Newtown, Conn., home before driving to the school and killing 26 people. Lanza later committed suicide. The massacre was one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history.

The Bankhead talk is free, but seating is limited and tickets are required. Reserve a spot at www.lvpac.org.

By Bay City News

Photo of Scarlett Lewis courtesy of Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement