Milwaukee domestic violence awareness walk; ‘Let Them Live’

MILWAUKEE – People laced up for a good cause on Milwaukee’s lakefront on Saturday morning, Oct. 7 – the 4th annual Let Them Live 5K Run and Walk. 

The event brings awareness to domestic violence – bringing hope to the community while shedding a light on life after trauma. 

Step by step, supporters covered Veterans Park on Milwaukee’s lakefront in purple – a color that represents domestic violence awareness. 

“Just raising awareness to a really great cause, so we wanted to come out and show our support,” said Karsyn Hartsfield, a supporter.

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Mike Washington got involved with Exposed the Podcast, a nonprofit uplifting domestic violence survivors – and hosting the Let Them Live Walk each year to educate the community of life after abuse. 

“My two nephews lost both their parents because of domestic violence, so yeah for me that became a lot more personal,” said Washington, a board member for Exposed the Podcast Foundation.

Washington lost his sister to domestic violence six years ago. 

“She was killed by her husband who then shot himself,” Washington said. 

As former law enforcement, Washington said his sister’s story gave him new perspective. 

“Being behind the police tape for years and then once I became on this side of it. It completely changed me,” Washington said. “From the job you kind of get immune. You can get immune to domestic violence because you respond to these calls all the time on a regular basis but once that happens, my whole perspective changed.”

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Those who took part in the walk Saturday hope the steps taken can help the movement grow. 

“Domestic violence is something we don’t really talk a lot about but it affects so many people,” Hartsfield said. “Someone you know could be impacted and you wouldn’t even know it because we just don’t talk about it. So it’s super important to raise awareness and make peoples voices heard.”

“Domestic violence is not a race issue. It affects everybody, men, women, and children, everybody,” Washington said. 

Exposed the Podcast hosts workshops to spread awareness to teens.