STATEMENTS & PRESS RELEASES

DC Statehood: A Historic Step: House Passes DC Statehood Act

(June 26, 2020) “Now is the time to give the 700,000 citizens in the nation’s capital full and equal representation in Congress. We applaud the passage of HR 51 and the incredibly hard work of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This is a long overdue step, but it is a vitally important one.”

George Floyd Act: The Coalition To Stop Gun Violence Applauds House Passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

(June 25, 2020) “The House of Representatives took the important first step toward addressing police violence, accountability, and reform. While much work remains, this bill lays the groundwork for future improvements by increasing the transparency and accountability of American police forces. For far too long our police forces have been overmilitarized and have used unjustified excessive force in Black and Brown communities. This toxic environment has been met with inaction from too many politicians at every level of government. The work does not end with today’s roll call vote; we must continue to ensure that Black Americans feel protected by those sworn to serve and protect our communities.”

Supreme Court: A Win For Safety: Supreme Court Declines to Take Up Any Challenge to Gun Violence Prevention Laws

(June 15, 2020) “Today, the United States Supreme Court declined to take up any pending petition that would challenge or attempt to weaken gun violence prevention laws such as: may-issue public carry permitting laws, assault weapons bans, and microstamping laws…This is a huge win for public safety and the gun violence prevention movement. In declining to take up these cases, the Court has saved countless lives.”

Virginia Appointment: Lori Haas Named to Virginia State Crime Commission

(June 9, 2020) “This afternoon, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam named the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Virginia State Director Lori Haas to the Virginia State Crime Commission. Haas previously served on the Virginia State Crime Commission under former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. The purpose of the commission is to “study, report, and make recommendations on all areas of public safety and protection.”

Congressional Action on Policing Reform: Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Endorses the Justice in Policing Act of 2020

(June 9, 2020) “As Rev. Al Sharpton so eloquently said at the Minneapolis memorial service for George Floyd, America’s knee has been on the neck of Black Americans for over 400 years. If we want to begin to address this ongoing physical and structural violence, we must examine the way we conduct law enforcement in America…We endorse the Justice in Policing Act and will work to see it enacted into law. We also encourage the millions of Americans who have voiced support for gun violence prevention over the last several years to approach this endeavor with equal vigor. Creating policies and practices that support a more equitable system of law enforcement will spare many lives from the pain of police violence and help quell one of the main drivers of community violence: a lack of trust between law enforcement and the people they are supposed to protect.”

BLOGS & OP-EDS

An Open Birthday Letter to Breonna Taylor, Director of Equity and Outreach Lauren Footman featured in Medium

“We know that you deserved better on March 13, 2020, and you still deserve better now. The officers involved must be brought to justice; we have waited too long for the arc of justice to bend in our favor. In your memory, I will do the work to ensure that your name — and those of Sandra Bland, Atatiana Jefferson, and other Black women — do not leave our collective consciousness. I will work to ensure that we advocate for the systemic change we need with respect to police reform and accountability, but also for resources to recognize and address the unique needs of Black women and girls more broadly. Rest well, Breonna. We will take it from here.”

Column: If we truly value Black lives, end stand-your-ground, VP of Strategy and Programming Kami Chavis featured in The Columbus Dispatch

“The senseless police murder of George Floyd has galvanized protesters and reignited a national conversation about racial disparities in the criminal justice system. However, the conversation about the value of Black lives is broader than police violence. As protests turn to legislative action, stand-your-ground laws must be repealed, and lawmakers should not advance legislation like House Bill 381…these laws allow individuals to forgo de-escalation and use deadly force as a first step. Such laws have created a shoot-first-ask-questions-later culture that gives a green light to people with no firearms or bias training to make life-or-death decisions, often within a matter of seconds. In fact, studies show that stand-your-ground laws do not deter crimes, but do increase firearm homicide rates.”

Improving Community Safety Means Addressing Police Violence as a Public Health Problem, Executive Director Josh Horwitz and VP of Strategy and Programming Kami Chavis featured in Jurist

“To end the violence in our streets, we must address all of the root causes of violence, and this means understanding and addressing police violence as one of those causes. There are well-developed solutions available to spur a paradigmatic shift in policing, but we must have the will to implement them. Organizations focusing on reducing violence must acknowledge that police violence is a root cause of violence, and they must center their advocacy on these solutions.”

STAFF FEATURES

WATCH – The 6abc special presentation of our town hall: Race, Rage and Healing – Where do we go from here? Featuring Lauren Footman, Director of Outreach and Equity for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence

It’s a frank conversation including questions from the community with topics including actionable next steps for combating racial injustice, pushing for policy changes in law enforcement, addressing the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the health and economics in communities of color as well as discussing racial trauma. #PhillyProud

PRESENTATIONS & TESTIMONY

Policy Analyst Lisa Geller joined Ruth Glenn from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Shannon Frattaroli from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health for the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program’s final webinar in a series about gun violence in the United States. During the webinar, titled, “Too Close to Home: Guns and Domestic Violence,” Lisa spoke about the Ed Fund’s role as research translators, DisarmDV.org, the role of domestic violence in fatal mass shootings, and policies that work to prevent domestic violence. You can watch the webinar here and read an article about the webinar here.

ARTICLES & PRESS

Democratic legislators take majority on tobacco commission, wipe out Senate GOP presence on some panels, The Roanoke Times

Northam also appointed Lori Haas, a mother whose daughter survived being shot at Virginia Tech in 2007 and Virginia state director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, to the crime commission. Haas has been a regular fixture at the General Assembly since 2007, pushing back on bills to expand gun rights and advocating for gun control.

REMEMBERING OUR DEAR FRIEND REVEREND JAMES ATWOOD

Longtime Coalition to Stop Gun Violence board member, advocate, and author Reverend James “Jim” Edwin Atwood, 85, passed away on Friday, June 26 at Sunnyside Community in Harrisonburg, VA. Jim Atwood was a gentle and kind man, as well as a fierce and dedicated voice for gun violence prevention. As an author and lecturer, he was a pioneer in developing a religious critique detailing how guns have become idols in American culture. Jim was an inspiration to our staff, our board, and so many others in this movement. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and community. He will be deeply missed.