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John - My family's lives were changed forever on May 18, 2019. That day, my son Kaylin was walking out of a community store in Columbia, Maryland, where he was shot and injured when an argument between two people nearby escalated into gun violence. Kaylin was shot in the leg and the bullet hit his artery. Thankfully, bystanders helped fashion a homemade tourniquet to slow the bleeding as he was transported to a shock trauma hospital in Baltimore. Detectives informed me that I could not see my son for 10 hours as they worked to stabilize him. I was left completely in the dark. All I knew was that my baby boy was shot. In the days, weeks, and months that followed, Kaylin was forced to undergo four surgeries, three blood transfusions, and two hospitalizations—all because of the shooter's reckless, split-second decision. By the grace of God, Kaylin survived. But my family is still working every single day to heal from this devastating act of gun violence. After Kaylin's shooting, I got involved in gun violence prevention work and eventually founded my own organization, Perfect Generation Ministries. At PGM, we provide rental and food assistance, nurse case manager services, and trauma-informed programming and community resources to reduce gun violence. Doing this work can be hard. But I move through it with the support of my family, my community, and by finding moments of joy in between the darkness. One source of joy for me each year is Wear Orange, the first weekend in June when we come together to recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day, honor survivors of gun violence, and build community across our movement. Want to learn more about how to get involved in this year's Wear Orange events? RSVP for our all-supporters call on Wednesday, May 7. You'll hear from me, other survivors, and volunteers, and learn about the many other upcoming opportunities to take action.
We can build a future free from gun violence. But it's going to take all of us—together. See you on May 7, Dr. Katrina Fowlkes  |
