Elected Officials, Clergy, Activists and Community Leaders Converge to Address Increase in Violence
New York, NY – (May 26, 2015) –For the third year Gun Violence Awareness Month (GVAM)
will take place
across New York during the month of June, highlighted by anti-violence
events and advocacy efforts, and by proclamations from Mayors and County
Executives, community leaders, clergy and activists, who will mark
GVAM in their respective communities with heightened awareness and activities.
On June 10, 2015,
thousands of New Yorkers across the state will wear orange, the
universal theme color
of peace that has been adopted to remember the lives lost and to
amplify the clarion call for gun violence prevention as New York heads
into the summer months. Elected officials, businesses, unions, student
organizations and community groups will wear orange,
and there will be events across the city and state.
Other highlights for
GVAM will include PSA’s from city and state leaders, a social
media campaign, endorsement from Mayors at their annual June conference
in San Francisco, “Sermon Sundays” where ecumenical religious leaders,
including preachers, rabbis and Imams across
New York State have signed on to devote one Saturday or Sunday
in their House of Worship to anti-violence, and proclamations,
resolutions and letters of support from a range of elected officials.
State Co-Chair of
GVAM is Byron Brown the Mayor of Buffalo. Also uniting around the
effort are US Congressional leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Charles B. Rangel,
Carolyn Maloney; Members of the NYS Black Puerto Rican Hispanic and
Asian Legislative Caucus; NYS Assemblyman Brian
Kavanagh, Co-Chair of NYLGVP and Chair of ASLGVP; NYS Assemblywoman
Michelle Shimel, Co-Chair of NYLGVP; Byron Brown, Mayor of Buffalo,
Stephanie Miner, Mayor of Syracuse; Lovely Warren, Mayor of Rochester;
Kathy Sheehan, Mayor of Albany; Mike Spano, Mayor
of Yonkers; Noam Bramson, Mayor of New Rochelle; Earnest Davis, Mayor
of Mount Vernon; Scott Stringer, NYC Comptroller; Letitia James, NYC
Public Advocate; Gale Brewer, Manhattan Borough President; Eric Adams,
Brooklyn Borough President; Melinda Katz, Queens
Borough President; Ruben Diaz Jr, Bronx Borough President; Jumaane
Williams, NYC Councilmember; Robert Cornegy, NYC Councilmember; Ydanis
Rodriguez, NYC Councilmember; Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone;
Tamika D. Mallory, Chair of the New York Justice
League, Erica Ford, LifeCamp Inc./I love My Life.
New
York State is the only state in the nation to dedicate and entire month
to the issue of gun violence
prevention and awareness. In 2013 the first resolution unanimously
passed the New York State Legislature naming June Gun Violence Awareness
Month as part of a five year push to reduce gun violence across the
State. The resolution was sponsored in the Assembly
by former State Assemblyman Karim Camara and in the Senate by State
Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson. Similar resolutions and proclamations
were issued in every major city in New York State, including New York
City. Highlights from last year’s
GVAM included, a public service announcement done by New York
City First Lady Chirlane McCray and New York City Councilman Jumaane
Williams, Co-Chair of the New York City Council Gun Violence Task Force.
Events in June will include: Everytown for Gun Safety June 2nd #WearingOrange; Mother’s in Charge, Inc.
June 6th National Rally; National ASK Day on June 21st;
and many other marches, town hall meetings, youth engagement
activities, gun buy backs, public service announcements and social media
campaigns. For more information on the month’s activities or to get
involved, please visit: www.gunviolenceawarenessmonth.
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