June 1st is National Gun Violence Awareness Day, and the C-U chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America will be participating in the national Wear Orange campaign. They will be “turning Alma orange” today at 12:30 p.m., and will be hosting an event at Westside Park on June 2nd from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mayors Deb Feinen and Diane Marlin will be on hand at both events, and community members are encouraged to attend as well (I mean, we all have orange to wear right?).
Details below:
NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY: WEAR ORANGE EVENTS HAPPENING IN CHAMPAIGN-URBANA THIS WEEKEND
“Wear Orange” Campaign Inspired by Chicago Teens Working to Honor The Lives of Gun Violence Survivors and Victims
CHAMPAIGN, IL—This weekend, in honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, influencers, corporations, mayors, partner organizations and a series of iconic landmarks in all 50 states will participate in the Wear Orange campaign. These events will bring communities together to showcase the full creativity of Wear Orange supporters from concerts to picnics in the park to orange walks to meeting at local landmarks as they turn orange. Here in Champaign-Urbana, the local chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America will be hosting two Wear Orange events.
● At 12:30 p.m. on June 1st, community members will gather for a photo opportunity with the Alma Mater, who will be wearing orange to commemorate National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
● There will be gathering at Westside Park on June 2nd from 4 to 6 p.m. to honor the survivors and victims of gun violence. The event will include student performances, voter registration, and refreshments. Other local organizations will be on hand including Rattle the Stars, Bend the Arc, the Champaign Federation of Teachers, CU Public Health, and Crosspoint Human Services.For more information on the local Wear Orange events, contact Janice Walker at janicewalker689@gmail.com.
About Wear Orange
In 2013, a small group of teens at a South Side Chicago high school asked their classmates to honor the life of their murdered friend Hadiya Pendleton by wearing orange – the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others and a color that reflects the value of human life. They inspired the Wear Orange campaign (wearorange.org), a coalition of more than 500 non-profits, cultural influencers and elected officials working to reduce gun violence in America. Spearheaded by Everytown for Gun Safety, the campaign asks Americans who believe we can do more to save lives from gun violence to do one simple thing on June 1, National Gun Violence Awareness Day: Wear Orange. Those who wear orange pledge to honor the lives of Americans stolen by gun violence, to help keep firearms out of dangerous hands and to protect our children from gun violence. Orange is the symbol of the gun violence prevention movement, and is used by activists all over the country to raise awareness.
