In our country, 36 people will lose their lives today as a result of guns, according to the independent nonprofit organization The Trace. That average seems troubling, because it is, but there are effective and peaceful ways to work for change. Thursday, June 2 is National Gun Violence Awareness Day, and a demonstration will be held in the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall at 11:30 a.m. Participants are invited to wear orange in observation.
North Liberty mayor Amy Nielsen is one of 100 mayors from across the country participating in Thursday’s event.
The Wear Orange campaign began in 2013 after 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton lost her life as a result of gun violence. Three years later, the campaign has spread from a handful of motivated teens in South Chicago to millions across the world.
“I never dreamed something my friends and I came up with would inspire and empower so many people all over the country to get involved in ending gun violence,” said Nza-Ari Khepra, according to a news release issued Tuesday. The founder of Project Orange Tree and co-creator of Wear Orange continued, “Seeing the movement grow in states across the country and learning about all of the activity happening on June 2 this year brings me hope that we are making real progress to end gun violence.”
For more information regarding campaign, contact local representative Rebecca Truszkowski (319) 331-3599 or the organization’s website, wearorange.org.
