Good Afternoon John

We are pleased to share the good work of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) and Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence (EFSGV) with you! We hope you enjoy this month’s update. We want to remind you that the best way to stay up-to-date is to visit our CSGV and EFSGV websites as well as follow us on social media including Facebook and Twitter.

Community Violence Intervention Funding Included in Build Back Better Framework

$5 billion in funding for community violence intervention was included in the President’s Build Back Better Act framework. Community violence is highly concentrated in a small number of under-resourced city neighborhoods composed predominantly of Black and Hispanic/Latino residents. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for Black males ages 15-34, who make up 2% of the U.S. population but account for 37% of all firearm homicide victims. Community violence intervention is a program proven to reduce gun violence. EFSGV praised the inclusion of this funding within the framework and attested that this announcement was the result of the strong advocacy and leadership of Black and Brown gun violence prevention leaders and coalitions including the Invest in Us Coalition, which works on behalf of people who live with the effects of gun violence in their communities.

Read EFSGV’s Director of Outreach and Equity Lauren Footman’s full reaction to the framework announcement.

Guilty Verdicts in Ahmaud Arbery Murder Trial

Last month, three men were found guilty on multiple counts of homicide for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence made sure to note the linkage between permissive gun laws and racist violence that undermines the community trust necessary to reduce gun violence. In Georgia, where Arbery was murdered, deeply flawed “stand your ground” laws co-exist with racial disparities, which too often results in a “deadly combination of hate and guns that leaves Black boys and men much more likely to die by gun violence than any other group of Americans.”

Read EFSGV’s statement about the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial.

Support Veterans by Supporting Lethal Means Safety Training

To honor our veterans, we must confront the epidemic of veteran suicide. Each year in the United States, more than 6,000 veterans die by suicide, and more than two thirds of these suicides come by way of a firearm. On November 11th, EFSGV observed Veterans Day by calling for support of Representative Lauren Underwood’s Lethal Means Safety Training Act (H.R. 2749). This piece of legislation would update and expand training for Veterans Affairs employees and care providers on lethal means safety counseling, an effective intervention designed to assess whether a patient at risk for suicide has access to firearms or other lethal means. Morever, the providers would work in partnership with service members and their family to reduce their access to those items while the risk of suicide is elevated.

Read EFSGV’s statement observing the holiday.

Oral Argument in NYSRPA v. Bruen

The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in NYSRPA v. Bruen, a major second amendment case that could allow further deregulation of firearms in public spaces and greatly expand the public health crisis of gun violence. In a statement, EFSGV’s Law & Policy Staff Attorney Tim Carey urged the justices to consider public health data regarding gun violence when deciding the case because the data clearly shows us that striking down the reasonable safety measures at question in this case would increase gun death and injury.

Read EFSGV’s statement following the oral arguments of the case.

AAPI Perspective Series: Gun Violence Prevention

Asian Americans are the fastest growing demographic group in the United States. AAPI Victory Alliance hosted a session moderated by CSGV Executive Director Josh Horwitz to discuss the AAPI perspective on gun violence prevention. Panelists included:

Po Murray, Chairwoman, Newtown Action Alliance & Newtown Action Alliance Foundation

Representative Lucy McBath

Richard Lui, news anchor, MSNBC/NBC

Gloria Pan, Vice President, MomsRising

Mike Song, Cofounder, Ethan Miller Song Foundation

Milan Narayan, Students Demand Action

View the recording.

Cities United Holds 8th Annual Convening

Cities United, which works to reduce the epidemic of homicides and shootings among young Black men and boys, hosted their annual convening to discuss the need for laws and policies to reflect the demand for safe, healthy and hopeful communities while reimagining public safety, which is highlighted in their recent report “A Guide to Investing to In Safe, Healthy & Hopeful Communities.” The convening was moderated by Cassandra Webb, Director of Research and Innovation at Cities United, and Lauren Footman, the Director of Outreach and Equity at the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, participated in the event that also included the following panelists:

Marcus Ellis, Chief of Staff, Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement

Maya White, Senior Associate of Research and Innovation, Cities United

Talib Hudson, Founder and Project Director, The New Hood

View the recording.

CSGV & EFSGV in The News

New York Times: Rittenhouse Case Highlights the Nation’s Deep Division Over Gun Rights; Washington Post: After Rittenhouse: Will deadly clashes multiply as the right to self-defense expands?; Chicago Tribune: Jury finds Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts in fatal shootings during Kenosha protests
- Comments from EFSGV’s Executive Director Josh Horwitz and Director of Strategic Partnerships and Equity Janel Cubbage were featured in several articles about the verdict in the Rittenhouse trial. The full statement is available online.
Everything is Public Health: Gun Violence is Public Health - Microstamping
- What is microstamping? Listen to this podcast episode featuring EFSGV’s Executive Director Josh Horwitz talking about this simple but ingenious technology which has the potential to transform the way we analyze ballistic data recovered at crime scenes to help solve more gun crimes and identify illegal trafficking channels.
Marketwatch: Firearm sales are soaring. Will the Alec Baldwin shooting prompt new discussion about gun safety and usage?
- As details continue to emerge about the Alec Baldwin prop-gun shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, it is hard to ignore the fact that gun sales have been soaring since the start of the pandemic. EFSGV’s Executive Director Josh Horwitz explains the ongoing debate on gun safety in the country.
The Progressive: Keep Guns from Domestic Abusers
- Last month as we observed Domestic Violence Awareness Month, this year’s commemoration came at a time when researchers have been reporting tragic increases in rates of domestic violence — a “pandemic within a pandemic” — across the country. EFSGV’s Lisa Geller breaks down the deadly intersection of firearms and domestic violence.
Pew Charitable Trusts: Bipartisan Support for Red Flag Laws Wanes as GOP Blocks Bills
- Extreme Risk laws temporarily remove firearms from those who may be a harm to themselves or others, and they are lauded by public health experts, law enforcement officials and gun safety advocates. EFSGV’s Executive Director Josh Horwitz describes the difficulties of passing this live-saving legislation in state legislatures.

Make a Year-End Stock Gift to Stop Gun Violence?

Did you know that directly transferring a gift of appreciated stock to a non-profit organization such as the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence can maximize your gift’s impact? We hope you will consider this savvy way to support gun violence prevention at this crucial year-end time!

Please contact Director of Development Sarah Rhyins at [email protected] with any questions about how to transfer a gift stock to EFSGV.

All gifts we receive help us make gun violence rare and abnormal!