BLOOMINGTON – The City of Bloomington invites the community to observe National Gun Violence Awareness Day on Friday, June 4 and to join in events raising awareness about gun violence during Wear Orange weekend, June 4-6.
Wear Orange originated on June 2, 2015, which would have been the 18th birthday of Hadiya Pendleton, the fifteen-year-old who was shot and killed in Chicago at the age of 15, just one week after performing at President Obama’s second inaugural parade in 2013. Following Hadiya’s friends’ color choice for the first demonstration, gun sense activists around the country now wear orange on the first Friday of June and the following weekend each year.
“In Bloomington, we refuse to grow accustomed to the horror of gun violence, even as it continues as everyday news,” said Mayor John Hamilton, who is one of 1,000 Mayors Against Illegal Guns who have pledged to work toward reducing gun violence. “By joining with cities across the country, we can make progress and hopefully bring an end to the devastation of under-regulated guns. Community members have an important role to play too by raising our voices–one symbolic step is by wearing orange on June 4th.”
On Saturday, June 5 starting at 12 p.m., under the marquee of the Buskirk-Chumley Theater (114 East Kirkwood Avenue), Moms Demand Action will be hosting live music, information tables, and a photo station where participants can create a #wearorange portrait to share on social media to show support for ending gun violence in America. Volunteers will also be distributing orange floating sky lanterns for residents to light later that evening (and post at #wearorange) in honor of those who have died from gun violence.
Additional information is available at wearorange.org.
