Melanie Washington, who selflessly worked to become a mentor and inspiration to people in prisons and juvenile halls despite the tragedy in her life, has died. She was 69.
Washington died peacefully in her sleep Nov. 23, apparently from a heart attack, in her home in Henderson, Nevada, where she had moved from Long Beach, according to her son, Mason, who lives just minutes away.
“My mother followed our Lord. She would pray for everybody, helping others in her extraordinary life,” her son said. “She built a life around family, community and service.”
He said a public wake would be held for his mother from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at Forest Lawn in Covina, 21300 Via Verde St. A Celebration of Life, by invitation only, will be held Thursday at Forest Lawn. The Celebration of Life ceremony will be available on livestream at https://forestlawn.livecontrol.tv/370b9b8d.
“Melanie was a special lady,” said Don Knabe, former longtime Los Angeles County supervisor.
“She took forgiveness to another level. She left her mark and truly made a difference. She will be missed by many.”
Naomi Rainey-Pierson, president of the local chapter of NAACP, said, “Melanie Washington did not just talk the talk. She put her words into action.”
Janey Roeder, director of the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership at Cal State Long Beach, said Washington spoke to students in an ethics class at the university two months ago. “She talked about compassion and forgiveness, moving some students to tears,” Roeder said.
“She was an exceptional person.”
By almost any account, Washington should have been an angry, bitter woman. She experienced more than her share of violence.
She was raped when she was a young girl. Her mother, sister and husband were all murdered.
In 1995, Damon, one of her three sons, was shot and killed by a gang member her son had befriended and was trying to mentor.
In examining the background of the offenders who had murdered her family members, she discovered that they had spent time in the California juvenile justice system.
And then she did what some thought was unthinkable. She went to the prison where her son’s killer was. Not only did she meet with him, she befriended him.
“I can’t hate you,” she told him. “Dee loved you, and so I must love you, too.”
Inspired by this and other events, Washington in 1999 founded Mentoring–A Touch From Above (MATFA), a nonprofit built on the principles of forgiveness and healing.
“My mother’s work touched countless lives, encouraging, mentoring and supporting youth and incarcerated individuals, offering them hope and guidance,” her son said.
In 2012 on a visit to Los Padrinos, a juvenile detention facility in Los Angeles County, Washington introduced herself and started talking to young men.
“You don’t belong in this place. You can do better with your lives,” she told them. “If you don’t straighten out, your next trip will be to the penitentiary.”
She said the young men had to learn to forgive themselves and others.
“Get rid of your anger and bitterness,” she said. “Forgive your parents. Forgive your enemies. I had to forgive the boy who killed my boy and shot his face off. I asked him why he shot my boy, and he said he got tired of my son telling him to go to school. I’ll never get over the loss of my son, but I had to forgive that boy. I’m doing this for my son. God is allowing me to do that.”
While leaving the facility, Washington said, “A lot of people say there is no hope for youth these days. I want to prove them wrong.”
She had a mantra tattooed on her arm: “Forgive the Unforgivable.”
Melanie Lynn Washington was born on June 28, 1955, one of nine children born to George Robert Washington and Patsy Ruth Clark in Los Angeles.
She attended Los Angeles City College majoring in business management. She balanced her philanthropic work with a successful career in aerospace, retiring from the Boeing company as a senior logistics analyst. She was ordained as a minister in 2001.
Her list of awards and accolades is exhaustive. She received the prestigious Presidential Points of Light Community Service Award from then President George W. Bush in 2002. She was honored as Woman of the Year in 2003 by Rick Rackers, junior auxiliary of the Assistance League of Long Beach. She also received the L.A. County Supervisor Award as Commission on Women Woman of the Year in 2003 and won the Volunteer of the Year award from Boeing in 1999. She is a graduate of the Leadership Long Beach Class of 2004.
Washington’s position as director of MAFTA will be taken over by her son, Mason, who is a protection specialist balancing service and security.
He said the Washington family appreciated the prayers, love and support shown to them during this difficult time.
“Your kindness and generosity in honoring her memory mean more than words can express,” he said.
The Washington family requests that memorial donations be made to MATFA to continue Melanie’s mentoring mission via https://pay.matfa.org/donation, email at https://www.matfa.info/donate or mail at:
Mentoring–A Touch From Above, in care of Mason Washington, 2345 Via Inspirada Ste 100-288, Henderson, NV 89044. If you are interested in volunteering for MATFA, contact Mason Washington.
In addition to Mason Washington, survivors include son, Dale, and siblings: James Washington, Patsy Washington, Eileen Washington, Fredericka Washington, Kimberly Grafenhorst and Williree Martinek.