In January 2013, Cleopatra’s 15-year-old daughter, Hadiya Pendleton, was killed by gun violence in
Chicago—just days after Hadiya proudly performed at President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.

That devastating loss exposed the painful truth that too many families already knew: our systems
repeatedly fail to protect Black children, support grieving families, and invest in community safety.
Cleopatra refused to accept that failure as inevitable.

A trained grief counselor and nationally respected public speaker, Cleopatra has spent more than a
decade standing with families impacted by violence, trauma, and neglect. She understands that grief does not exist in a vacuum—it is shaped by inequity, disinvestment, and policy choices. Her work challenges the idea that loss is personal while solutions are political.

Cleopatra believes healing is justice work.  Her advocacy focuses on expanding access to mental health care, investing in community-based violence prevention, and replacing cycles of punishment with care, accountability, and opportunity.   She  has helped build and support grief-counseling programs, community healing spaces, and support networks that center dignity, truth, and collective resilience.

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Cleopatra’s voice has reached millions through national platforms including ABC News, CNN, Good
Morning America, and Essence, and her work has been recognized by the Obama Foundation, which honors Hadiya’s legacy and uplifts Cleopatra’s commitment to turn pain into people-powered change.

The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago will honor Hadiya Pendleton, a teen tragically killed by gun violence after performing at President Obama's second inauguration, by naming its public indoor garden the "Hadiya Pendleton Winter Garden"; this bright, welcoming space within the Forum will showcase her light, remember her potential, and serve as a place for community, reflection, and inspiration for young people, a lasting tribute to her life and the epidemic of gun violence.

But Cleopatra’s leadership isn’t rooted in recognition—it’s rooted in solidarity.  She listens to parents who have been ignored by institutions.  She stands with communities carrying generational trauma.
She challenges systems that prioritize profit, punishment, and politics over people.  Cleopatra knows that real change requires more than sympathy—it requires bold policy, moral courage, and political will.   She is committed to advancing policies that treat mental health as a public good, address gun violence as a public health crisis, and ensure communities most impacted by harm are the ones leading the solutions.

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At the center of Cleopatra’s work is Hadiya.  Cleopatra has partnered with Advocates of Change, a Chicago-area nonprofit committed to building safer, stronger communities through violence prevention, youth mentorship, and community outreach.

Grounded in collaboration with families and local leaders, her work focuses on expanding opportunity and hope for young people, including support for efforts with the Hadiya Pendleton Legacy Scholarship, a continued investment in the education and future of academically driven youth.  

 

She honors her daughter not only as a victim of violence, but as a bright, joyful young woman whose life continues to inspire action, resistance, and hope. Honoring Hadiya’s legacy means fighting for safer communities, fully funded schools and services, and a future where every child is valued and
protected. Wear Orange in June for Hadiya reflects Cleopatra Cowley’s lifelong commitment to
remembrance, healing, and community safety. Honoring her daughter’s legacy, Cleopatra continues to advocate for thoughtful, people-centered solutions that protect our children, uplift families, and strengthen neighborhoods—rooted in compassion, dignity, and the belief that every community deserves to feel safe and supported.

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