Hi there, it’s Deborah Ross.

Today is National Gun Violence Awareness Day — a day to reflect on the senseless gun violence that has affected countless American families and to turn our efforts toward taking tangible steps to address this issue head-on.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, more than 1,500 people die and 3,500 people are wounded by guns in North Carolina per year, and the state has the 14th highest rate of gun violence in the United States.

I will never stop fighting to pass legislation in Congress to reduce senseless gun violence and create a safer future for our children. That’s why today, I held a roundtable discussion with local leaders and organizations to discuss the efforts they are taking to combat gun violence in North Carolina, consider legislative solutions, and work to build safer communities.

But events like these are merely a small step towards solving the gun violence crisis in our state and our country.

Together, we can continue fighting to pass legislation that protects North Carolina children from gun violence, but it’s going to take all of us to make that happen.

Thank you for your support, and I encourage you to take a few moments today to reflect on the tragedies we’ve endured at the hands of senseless gun violence and what we can all do to help protect North Carolina’s children and families in the future.

— Deborah