John, tomorrow should be Ahmaud Arbery’s 28th birthday. He should be celebrating with his friends and family. But two year ago, he was senselessly murdered in broad daylight while out for a run in Georgia.

I’m a runner, too — I’ve been running my whole life. I know the fear that comes with running while being Black in America. It means being keenly aware of the spaces that I’m in and how people will view my Black body running in the street. It means having to ask a white friend to protect me by biking next to me as I trained for a marathon.

Being Black in the United States means not being able to go for a run without the danger of being shot and killed. This is a violation of the very ideals of our country, John. How can we call ourselves the land of the free when Ahmaud Arbery was murdered while trying to enjoy the freedom of jogging, and while so many more fear for their lives? 

Now, on his 28th birthday, we must recommit ourselves to fighting the systemic failings of our country — including our broken gun laws.

Since Ahmaud's murder, lawmakers have failed to end racist Stand Your Ground laws. In fact, they have passed more of them. Ahmaud Arbery’s killers even attempted to manipulate Georgia’s Stand Your Ground law and claimed that their actions were self-defense. Stand Your Ground laws encourage individuals to shoot first, ask questions later — and then claim self-defense. When combined with our country’s weak gun laws and systemic racism, Stand Your Ground laws increase — rather than decrease — gun crime. 

We need to show overwhelming support for ending these life-threatening and racist laws — and you can help, John. In honor of Ahmaud Arbery, will you add your name to our petition to demand an end to Stand Your Ground laws? They are the law of the land in more than 20 states and we can’t allow this deadly trend to continue.

Thank you for taking action in honor of Ahmaud Arbery and the Black men and women who still face the threat of violence in our country.  

In solidarity,

Kelly Sampson

Brady Legal Senior Counsel and Director of Racial Justice

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. Help Us Honor with Action

To all of the moms who have lost children to gun violence, the moms we have lost, and the moms fighting to create a safer future for our children: We see you, we thank you, and we honor you. Happy Mother’s Day. Join us in showing appreciation for all the moms out there by sharing our Mother’s Day graphic on Facebook!

RSVP: Spotlight on Crime Guns in California

Brady California has been laser-focused on addressing how the majority of crime guns start in the legal market, move to the illegal market, and then end up in our streets. We know that irresponsible gun dealers fuel the sale of crime guns, contributing to devastating cycles of violence in California communities. 

But Brady California has solutions to address the flow of crime guns — and we want you to be part of the conversation. Will you RSVP for our virtual event on Tuesday, May 17, at 5:30 p.m. PT? You’ll hear from California State Sen. Dave Min (D-37), Brady California President Mattie Scott, Brady California Legislative Lead Ruth Borenstein, and Brady Crime Guns City Manager Erica Rice. 

Together, they’ll share information about crime guns in California and solutions to combat them — like Brady’s “supply-side approach.” You’ll leave our event knowing how you can help your community hold gun dealers accountable to prevent the flow of illegal firearms in California.

RSVP for the 2022 Brady Action Awards!

We’re less than two months away from the 2022 Brady Action Awards — and you’re invited to join us! Together, we will honor champions of gun violence prevention whose activism embodies the spirit and legacy of our namesakes, Jim and Sarah Brady. Interested in becoming a sponsor? Opportunities are still available but are going fast.

Episode 182: Orphaned By Gun Violence

The Washington Post recently found that each day, at least 41 children in America lose at least one biological parent to gun violence. Pulitzer-finalist journalist and author John Woodrow Cox tells the stories of some of those children in his latest piece, "Orphaned by gun violence: Two kids, two shootings, two parents gone."

This week, John joined Red, Blue, and Brady to discuss how this study came about, what life is like after losing a parent to gun violence, and the staggering reality that "there [were] only 11 days in 2020 when The Post did not find at least one child whose parent had been shot and killed."

Nine Local Gun Shops Supplied 15,000 ‘Crime Guns’ in Philly, New Report Shows, Philadelphia Inquirer

Costs From Gun Injuries Highest in U.S. Regions With Weak Gun Laws, HealthDay News

Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People, Washingtonian 

There is Still More to Be Done to Strengthen Gun Control in Syracuse, Daily Orange

This week, we recognized Teachers Appreciation week. Given our nation’s epidemic of gun violence, many teachers have to face the trauma of their students being killed from everyday gun violence while also dealing with the reality of school shootings.

Despite this senseless violence, teachers across the country have stepped up to prioritize the safety of their students. We at Brady believe that teachers MUST be part of the conversation to eliminate gun violence. Here are two ways you can join Brady in recognizing Teachers Appreciation week:

Thank you for supporting Brady and our work to prevent gun violence and save lives. We rely heavily on the generosity of activists like you to fund our work to create a safer America. If you're in this fight, please join Brady today by making a gift.

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