John–
For decades—long before Everytown was even an idea—survivors have led the movement to end gun violence. As both a survivor and the senior director of the Everytown Survivor Network, I'm honored to carry that legacy forward.
Gun violence in any form can leave a lasting impact, whether someone has witnessed an act of gun violence, been threatened or wounded with a gun, or if someone they cared about was wounded or killed with a gun. That includes but is not limited to gun homicides, police violence, gun suicides, domestic violence involving a gun, mass shootings, and unintentional shootings.
From Feb 1 - Feb 7, we're commemorating the fifth annual National Gun Violence Survivors Week to recognize the impact of this crisis, and to celebrate those who are working to make their communities safer. Join me in honoring these incredible survivors of gun violence: Read and share their stories and help make sure survivors remain the center of our movement.
I've often referred to being a survivor of gun violence as being in a club that no one wants to be a part of. I joined it in 1993, when 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.
In the years since, I've fought to end this crisis—and I am far from alone in this work. 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. Together, we've turned this club that no one wants to be a part of into a community of care and a force for change.
I'm proud to lead such an amazing group of people from across the country who have, against the odds, turned grief into hope, and hope into action. But we can't do this work alone. Please, take the time to read and share their stories.
Thank you for being a part of this movement, and for helping us build a safer future for everyone.
Keenon James
He/Him/His
Senior Director
Everytown Survivor Network
