Two-day event to educate people about rise of gun violence

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -M.A.M.A’s club founder Faye Williams and members with the Moms Demand Action of Alachua County are collaborating to lessen gun violence in Gainesville.

June 2nd is National Gun Violence Awareness Day and with the increase of gun-related crimes, organizers are hosting a two-day event to bring light to the impact it has on communities.

Gainesville city leaders are also taking action.

“The city came along with me in declaring gun violence as a public health crisis,” said Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker. “That’s the way we’re preceding in how we address this. "

Gun violence survivors will share their experiences as part of the “Wear orange” campaign. It started after 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed at a playground in Chicago ten years ago. Organizers want to bring urgency locally with this story.

Places to go, things to do, mentorship, and jobs are the four factors Duncan-Walker said are key factors to lessen gun violence. She said, “I have been putting together an initiative that is designed to pretty much address all of that.”

Duncan-walker will read the ‘Wear Orange’ proclamation on Friday at the Martin Luther King Multipurpose Center, 1028 NE 14th St, Gainesville at 7 p.m.

Then attend a panel discussion on Saturday at Porter Community Center, 512 SW 2nd Ter, starting at noon.

The city is hosting a gun violence summit on August 6th and 7th, to explore other solutions to the issues.

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