From the towns of Maplewood and South Orange:
Maplewood Mayor Vic De Luca and South Orange Village President Sheena Collum will proclaim June 2, 2016 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day. They urge residents of the two towns to “Wear Orange” on the 2nd to honor and remember all victims and survivors of gun violence and declare that we as a country must do more to reduce gun violence. De Luca and Collum will join more than 100 mayors from 31 states who are participating in the 2nd Gun Violence Awareness Day.
“Take a stand against more killings by wearing orange and joining your neighbors at the 7pm June 2nd Wear Orange event in Maplewood Memorial Park at the bottom of the hill,” said De Luca. “Let’s get a big crowd to help send a message across this country that we need to deal with gun violence now,” said Collum.
SOMA residents organized the local Wear Orange Event, which will include a group photo. More than 150 Wear Orange meet-ups are set to take place in communities nationwide.
The Wear Orange Campaign is a coalition of more than 200 organizations, artists and musicians, and elected officials working to reduce gun violence in America. The Campaign was inspired in 2013 by a group of Chicago teens to commemorate the life of their murdered friend, Hadiya Pendleton, by wearing orange, the color hunters wear to protect themselves in the woods. Hadiya was shot and killed one week after performing at the second inaugural of President Obama.
See the full proclamation here:
NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY
June 2, 2016
WHEREAS, every day, 91 Americans are killed by gun violence and countless others are injured by shootings; and
WHEREAS, Americans are 25 times more likely to be murdered with guns than people in other developed countries; and
WHEREAS, June 2nd, 2016 would have been the 19th birthday of Hadiya Pendleton, a high school student shot and killed while standing with friends in a Chicago park only one week after performing at events for President Obama’s second inauguration; and
WHEREAS, to help honor Hadiya – and the 91 Americans whose lives are cut short every day – a national coalition of organizations has designated June 2nd, 2016, as the second annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day; and
WHEREAS, the idea was inspired by a group of Hadiya’s friends to commemorate her life by wearing orange, the color hunters wear to protect themselves in the woods; and
WHEREAS, by wearing orange on June 2nd, Americans will raise awareness about gun violence and honor the lives and lost human potential of Americans stolen by gun violence; and
WHEREAS, we renew our commitment to reduce gun violence and pledge to do all we can to keep firearms out of the wrong hands, and encourage responsible gun ownership to help keep our children safe.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Victor De Luca, Mayor of the Township of Maplewood, do hereby proclaim June 2, 2016 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day in the Township of Maplewood and encourage all our citizens to support efforts to prevent the tragic effects of gun violence and to honor and value human lives.
