John–

In 1993, I joined a club that no one wants to be a part of. My brother, Sean, was shot and killed in Takoma Park, Maryland. More than just my brother, he was a son, a husband, a father, and a friend. He was fearless, and loved going to amusement parks; he could spend hours riding roller coasters, imagining how we would design our own rides.

Now, as a survivor of gun violence, I have become a passionate advocate for ending this crisis, and supporting the thousands of people also affected by it.

And I am far from alone in this endeavor. Members of the Everytown Survivor Network are organizing in communities across the country not only to create a better, safer future for everyone, but also to make sure that fellow survivors know they are not alone.

This Election Day, we owe it to them to vote for candidates who will support survivors of gun violence and are committed to ending this crisis. Read and share this impactful story from the Washington Post on how some of the Everytown Survivor Network's youngest members are building communities of hope and love.

As the Senior Director of the Everytown Survivor Network, I lead a community of thousands of people; each of us knows first-hand how trauma and experiencing gun violence can impact an individual, family, and community.

We define "survivor" broadly, creating a network that includes people who have been threatened with a gun or shot, witnessed a shooting, or lost a loved one to firearm homicide, suicide, or unintentional shootings. We know that having community in the face of seemingly insurmountable grief can make all the difference in the world.

But we cannot do this work alone.

Every time another instance of gun violence happens, another shooting makes the news, we are reminded yet again of the trauma we experienced, the loss we endured, the crisis that still hasn't ended.

Gun violence survivors have led this movement for generations; we owe it to them to do everything we can to show up and advocate for change—whether that's supporting the survivors in our lives, fighting for life-saving legislation, or electing candidates who will lead on gun safety.

With less than a week before Election Day, please take the time to read and share this powerful story from the Washington Post on how young gun violence survivors are creating powerful networks of support and becoming unwavering advocates for change.

Thank you for being a part of this movement, and thank you for honoring Sean and the survivors of gun violence across the country.

Keenon M. James
He/Him/His
Senior Director
Everytown Survivor Network