BRENTWOOD, Calif. - Renee Sotile and Mary Jo Godges have created a special music video called “I Remember Nicole” in honor of the late Nicole Brown Simpson. Featuring hundreds of people in the community, the song was performed by two American Idol alumni. 

“Well we see and feel like through music, it’s like raising awareness while raising the roof,” said Godges. 

Their video, which is all about domestic violence awareness was showcased to kick off the Brentwood Film Festival. Brown Simpson’s story is especially personal to Sotile because she covered the O.J. Simpson murder trial as a video journalist.

“It just really affected me seeing the families, especially Nicole Brown’s family. The faces are imprinted in my mind for all these years,” Sotile said. 

Sotile and Godges Jo reached out to Tanya Brown, Brown Simpson’s sister, who agreed to also be in the video. 

“We take ugly situations and make something of it,” Brown said. “Believe me I’d rather have her here to do the work that I’m doing but I don’t have that choice, so I’m keeping her alive.”

Since October, the video has helped raise $5,000 for domestic violence awareness and to help domestic violence victims.

“Then we can start getting programs and shelters – where do you go when this happens – what do you do,” said Godges.

Turning tragedy into purpose… It’s what “I Remember Nicole” is all about.