#WearOrange: Attend Gun Violence Awareness Events June 1-2

Prevention of Gun Violence & Violence Against Women Working Group and Moms Demand Action-ME C2A

THE ISSUE

Another week and another mass shooting in America. As of May 21, 2018, there have been 102 mass shootings in this country. Add the hundreds of suicides, accidents, and other forms of gun violence, and you have a death toll of more than 5,400 less than halfway through the year. These victims could just as likely be our own family, friends, and neighbors. These school shootings could just as easily happen in our own home towns. It’s critical that we keep the pressure on to enact common sense gun reforms and resist the urge to go numb. June 1-3 is #WearOrange Weekend, and is a national effort to raise awareness about gun violence. Why orange? It’s the color that Hadiya Pendleton’s friends wore in her honor when she was shot and killed in Chicago at the age of 15 — just one week after performing at President Obama’s 2nd inaugural parade in 2013. Since then orange has been the defining color of the gun violence prevention movement. Whether it’s worn by students in Montana, activists in New York, or Hadiya’s loved ones in Chicago, the color orange honors the more than 90 lives cut short and the hundreds more wounded by gun violence everyday.

THE ACTION

Attend a #WearOrange Weekend event near you! Want to volunteer at these events? Follow the links below for more information. And create your own #WearOrange social media image HERE.

THURSDAY, MAY 31
Eliot: The Armor of Light film screening 5:30pm

FRIDAY, JUNE 1
Kittery: Kittery Family Friendly Bridge walk for Gun Violence Awareness, 6-8 pm

SATURDAY, JUNE 2
Standish: Family Play Date for Gun Violence Awareness, 9-12pm
Yarmouth: Walk for Gun Violence Awareness, 10-11am
Brunswick: March for Gun Violence Awareness, 10:30-11:30am
Portland: Wear Orange Play-in 12-3pm
Bangor: Wear Orange Picnic 1-3pm
Kennebunk: Wear Orange Rally 10am
Cumberland: Steeple Lighting and Bell Tolling for Gun Violence Awareness 12pm

SUNDAY, JUNE 3
Durham: Mothers’ Dream Quilt 1:30-3:30pm

Arm Yourself…With Facts! Check out our list of the most powerful gun violence statistics and find rebuttals to common arguments against gun reform.

Join or support the groups working on the front lines of the fight to prevent gun violence. 

• Moms Demand Action has chapters in Bangor, Brunswick, Downeast, Ellsworth, Kennebunk, Kittery, Portland, Sebago lake Region, Yarmouth. If you’d like to become involved, contact Kathi at maine@momschapterleaders.org.
• Maine Gun Safety Coalition is a nonpartisan grassroots organization founded in 2000 to protect Maine families and communities from gun violence. To get involved, contact contact@mainegunsafety.org.
• Everytown for Gun Safety produces a enormous amount of gun violence research and is a powerful advocate. Please consider donating.
• The Brady Campaign is also a powerful advocate and has launched a formidable legal action project aimed at winning gun law victories in the courts. Please consider donating.
• Sandy Hook Promise provides real tools for students and schools to prevent shootings, and promotes specific policies that are proven effective. Talk to your local school administrators about adopting some of their tools, and consider donating.
• Giffords Law Center maintains an incredible and easy to use database on national and state gun violence laws, and provides model laws for legislators, and gun violence scorecards by state. Please consider donating.