The community began streaming through the doors at Galilee Baptist Church beginning at 3:30pm on Sunday February 17– carrying memories, stories and photos of loved ones taken by gun violence.

The 6th Annual Service of Remembrance and Action was the second gathering that weekend. Students for Gun Legislation hosted a memorial event Saturday, February 16 at First Congregational Church UCC for the victims at Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS in Parkland, FL one year ago on Valentine’s Day. The Coalition for Common Ground and Moms Demand Action Kalamazoo joined Students for Gun Legislation that night as they joined us at Galilee on Sunday. Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) advocates are grateful for our partnerships with Galilee Baptist Church, ISAAC, and the NAACP among others. We’re so grateful that our organizations have affirmed our intention to become official members of ISAAC!

Mass killings get our attention. However every single day in the United States 100 lives are taken by gun violence. That means hundreds of survivors. GVP advocates strive to create safe spaces for survivors to remember and to discover ways to act for their own healing and that of their families and communities. Check out this link to read the stories of survivors.
https://everytown.org/momentsthatsurvive/?source=etno_ETHomepage&utm_source=et_n_&utm_medium=_o&utm_campaign=ETHomepage&refcode=ETHomepage

What’s NEXT?

• WEAR ORANGE events officially kick off the week of June 2-9 in the United States. The Coalition for Common Ground with our partners will sponsor a FILM SHOWING and Panel Discussion at the Van Duesen Room of the Central Library on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5 from 5:30-7:30. The film: “Senior Spring” produced by NPR in the aftermath of Parkland.
  
• Moms Demand Action Kalamazoo, the Coalition for Common Ground, and Students for Gun Legislation will be participating at PRIDE events on Saturday June 8. Be sure to come out, purchase an Orange T-Shirt, and join the effort to end gun violence.

– Rev. Linda MacDonald, founding Co-President of ISAAC