John, today marks Indigenous Peoples' Day.
This is a time to celebrate the stories and traditions of all Indigenous, Native American, and Alaska Native tribes across the country. Roughly 8.8 million Native and Indigenous people live in the US today, and as we celebrate their culture, we also need to acknowledge the disproportionate effects of gun violence that they face.
Unfortunately, this has been the reality for hundreds of years, since the first colonizers arrived in North America. We cannot forget that among the core root causes for the epidemic of gun violence and suicide in Native and Indigenous communities in the US today is the historic and ongoing displacement and dispossession of Native people. That’s why fighting gun violence means we have to tackle its causes at its root, including injustice and inequity.
According to the Center for Disease Control, about 453 Native Americans die from gun violence per year. Of those deaths, a disproportionate amount are women and children.
Native American women are almost 3x more likely than white women to be fatally shot by an intimate partner.
The Native community is also disproportionately impacted by the suicide epidemic, especially young people. The American Indian and Alaska Natives firearm homicide rate has been on the rise, increasing 33% from 2019 to 2023. And young people make up the majority of victims with more than 1 in 4 victims being under the age of 25.
This is preventable, John. Ending this violence is long overdue, and as with ending all gun violence, we know we need culturally sensitive and community-led interventions. Addressing the root causes of gun violence and passing gun safety legislation will bring us one step closer to a future free from gun violence.
Today and every day, we honor our Native and Indigenous neighbors with action.
In solidarity,
March for Our Lives HQ
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