National Gun Violence Awareness Day
#WearOrange, Gun Protest, and More! (June 2023)
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National Gun Violence Awareness Day + Wear Orange Weekend
Introduction
June 2 is widely recognized by U.S. public health, education, and advocacy groups as National Gun Violence Awareness Day. This observance is also known as “Wear Orange Day” and in some places kicks off "Wear Orange Weekend".
Background
On January 21, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton marched in President Obama’s second inaugural parade. One week later, she was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago. Soon after this tragedy, Hadiya’s childhood friends decided to commemorate her life by wearing orange, the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others.
Wear Orange began on June 2, 2015—what would have been Hadiya’s 18th birthday. Since then, Wear Orange has expanded to a period of three days each year: National Gun Violence Awareness Day (the first Friday in June) and Wear Orange Weekend (the accompanying weekend).
Why Orange?
The color orange has a long and proud history in the gun safety movement. Whether worn by hunters in the woods of Pennsylvania, activists in New York City, or Hadiya’s loved ones in Chicago, orange honors the more than 120 lives cut short and the hundreds more wounded by gun violence every day - and it demands action. Orange is a color that demands to be seen.
Why Are We Sharing This?
Deaths and injuries from firearms pose a substantial risk to public health. Access to a firearm is the common denominator in every firearm-related death or injury. So today, we are reminding the community about the Resolution on the Safe Storage of Firearms passed by our School Committee in November, as well as providing some education and action options associated with the Wear Orange campaign.
Participate in #WearOrange
Social Media Calls to Action
The official hashtag for all platforms is #WearOrange. Please visit the campaign page for more resources and ways to honor the lives lost or forever changed by gun violence every year in this country.
- Tool to turn your profile pic orange: wearorange.org/wear-orange.
- Spanish version of the tool here: wearorange.org/es/vestirse-de-naranja
- “Every day, more than 110 people in the US are killed with guns and hundreds more are shot and wounded - but it doesn’t have to be this way. [I/We] #WearOrange on National Gun Violence Awareness Day because we CAN end gun violence.” [accompanying graphic]
- “Gun violence - intensified by long-standing inequities and public health disparities - is taking a devastating toll on Black and Latinx people in America. [I/We] #WearOrange to call attention to the disproportionate impact of gun violence on [our/these] communities.” [accompanying graphic]
- “Gun violence is robbing America of our future. [I/We] #WearOrange on National Gun Violence Awareness Day because children in this country deserve better.” [accompanying graphic]
- “Every year, hundreds of children in the US gain access to guns and shoot themselves or someone else. [I/We] #WearOrange on National Gun Violence Awareness Day to spread awareness about the importance of secure gun storage—storing guns unloaded, locked & separate from ammunition.” [accompanying graphic]
- Create your own Wear Orange image and use the following language in a social media post: “Today on National Gun Violence Awareness Day, [I/We] #WearOrange to honor the more than 40K lives that are taken by gun violence each year, and the countless lives that are forever changed by this preventable crisis. Why do you wear orange?
Other Ways to Participate
Write Care Cards for gun violence survivors, potentially to be sent to schools that have been victimized by a mass shooting or a local homicide and/or suicide prevention organization for distribution.
Rock painting for younger students around suggested themes of kindness, peace, etc.
Wear Orange coloring pages for younger students: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rYlXhXiNdN2BbuM0iGH-TrhRxI2zIx4K/view?usp=share_link
Short PSA (created by older students) about the need for secure firearm storage to prevent gun violence, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oz5Acram5E
HS Seniors can request a gun violence awareness orange graduation honor cord: https://forms.everytown.org/a/request-your-gun-violence-prevention-graduation-honor-cord
Gun Violence Protest
More than 100 people made a human chain around Hemenway Elementary School in Framingham on Saturday afternoon, May, 13. The event was organized by Framingham mom, Samantha McGarry, to protest gun violence in our schools.
“This is really meaningful for me have this here at Hemenway,” McGarry told the crowd. “This is where my kids were in Kindergarten and second grade when on Dec 14, 2012, the day of the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting. Distraught I drove down here and sobbed in my car until it was time to pick my kids up and hold them tight forever.”
“I’ve been an activist for gun violence prevention ever since that day,” said McGarry, a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
McGarry also said “guns are the #1 killer of our children in America. I refuse to accept that as okay."
The event was attended by parents and community members, as well as local and state elected officials. The full media release was shared by the City of Framingham: https://www.framinghamma.gov/.../momsdemandmay2023media
Resolution on the Safe Storage of Firearms
The Framingham Public Schools takes the responsibility of education very seriously. In addition to providing teaching and learning opportunities within the walls of our schools, we also look for opportunities to create education and awareness opportunities for our entire community.
In November of 2022, the Secure Storage Notification Resolution was passed by the Framingham School Committee. (see / click the button below)
Bottom line message: Secure firearm storage saves lives.
Massachusetts Law
Massachusetts residents 15 years and older who wish to possess, carry, and transport firearms, ammunition, and feeding devices are required to have a firearms license. Firearms licenses are issued by local municipal police departments. Learn more about gun ownership in Massachusetts. Additionally in Massachusetts, all guns must be stored in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device. Primitive firearms are exempt from this storage requirement. It is recommended that you store firearms unloaded, separately from ammunition, in locked compartments.
Be SMART Campaign
The Be SMART campaign raises awareness that secure gun storage—storing guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition—can save lives. Be SMART emphasizes that it’s an adult responsibility to keep kids from accessing guns, and that every adult can play a role in keeping kids and communities safer.
Caregivers are encouraged to take these 5 simple steps to help prevent shootings by children:
- Secure all guns in your home and vehicles;
- Model responsible behavior around guns;
- Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes;
- Recognize the role of guns in suicide;
- Tell your peers to be SMART.
Resources
All resources and tips below came from the Be SMART Campaign. We chose to focus on CONVERSATION STARTERS - both those with children and how to ask about Gun Storage. If you wish to explore the Be SMART resources further, please visit their website: https://besmartforkids.org/resources/
Tips for Talking to Children
Tips for Talking to Young Children:
- Make it part of the normal safety conversation you have with your children.
- Keep the language simple; for example: “If you see a gun, don’t touch it. Tell an adult right away.”
- Tell children not to touch a gun, even if it looks like a toy.
- Assure children they will not get in trouble if they tell an adult they’ve seen a gun.
- Repeat it on a regular basis.
Tips for Talking to Adolescents:
- Include it in your general safety conversations about topics like drugs, alcohol, and drunk driving.
- Tell them to immediately leave any situation where an unsecured gun is present.
- Tell them not to listen to a friend who says a gun is unloaded or otherwise safe.
- Give your teen strategies to get out of a situation where a gun is present—or brainstorm them together. For example, you could agree that your teen would say: “Mom just texted me that I have to get home right now.”
- Assure them that it’s OK to ask people about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes they may be visiting, but offer to do it for them if they don’t feel comfortable.
Tips for All Ages:
- Don’t have the conversation only once. Talk to them frequently, just as you would about other crucial safety issues.
- Make sure they understand that any situation where there’s an unsupervised gun is a dangerous situation.
Asking About Secure Gun Storage
Owning a gun is a personal decision, but secure storage is a public safety issue. Kids and unsecured guns are a potentially lethal combination. Fortunately, a simple conversation can help keep children out of harm’s way. It doesn’t need to feel strange or awkward to bring up the issue of how guns are stored. These simple conversations with your friends, caregivers, and relatives before your child visits can help save lives.
Sample Conversation Starters
General Safety Conversation
“Before I drop my son/daughter/child off, I just wanted to check to see if you have pets? And also ask if you have firearms in your house and confirm how they are stored. I want to make sure he knows your safety rules.”
Teen safety conversations
“Hey, excited the kids are getting together over the weekend. I know that they’ve hung out quite a bit, but my daughter/son/child has never been over to your house so I want to confirm a couple of things: Will an adult be at the house the whole time? Also, I heard a story on the news that made me decide I should always ask this—do you have any firearms, and how are they stored? Do you need me to pick (insert child's name) up or can you give her/him/them a ride home?”
If you know that the homeowner or your family member is a gun owner.
“We are looking forward to spending time with you and with the whole family. I know I have never asked this before, but after hearing about a recent unintentional shooting in the area (you can refer to the Not An Accident map), I just have to ask: how are your guns stored? The kids get into everything and I don’t want to spend the day looking over my shoulder worried about them, or the rest of the kids.”
Confirm secure storage practices. Following their description, if you need to know more, then you can ask direct questions, like: "What kind of lock do you use?" or "How do you store ammunition?"
Sample text or email starters (Sometimes these conversations are easier via email.)
Try “sandwiching” your question amongst other questions and information. For example: “I know my child/son/daughter hasn't been to your home before and I do like to ask a few safety questions. They is skittish around dogs, do you have any? Also, do you own any firearms, and if so, how are they stored? Finally, will they be playing video games? We only allow limited time on ones rated ‘E.’ My son/daughter/child doesn't have any allergies. For future reference, no pets, and no firearms at our home. Thanks so much.”
Here is a visual example of how that may play out:
Sample texts, emails, or conversation starters for teenage babysitters
Certainly there are times that a teen will be in the role of the caregiver and need to confirm this information on his/her own. The onus is still on adults. Here is sample language.
“I’m confirming that you need me at 7pm on Saturday evening. Let me know if the kids will need to be fed. Also, my parents wanted me to ask if there are any unsecured guns in the home? Thanks.”
The mission of the Framingham Public Schools is to educate each student to learn and live productively as a critically-thinking, responsible citizen in a multicultural, democratic society by providing academically challenging instructional programs taught by highly-qualified staff and supported by comprehensive services in partnership with our entire community. For news, updates, and announcements, follow Framingham Public Schools (@FraminghamPS) on Facebook, Twitter, and (@framinghamschools) on Instagram. You can also join the conversation using #FraminghamSchools.