June 2-4 Declared Gun Violence Awareness and Wear Orange Weekend
Yesterday, Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello proclaimed this weekend to be Gun Violence Awareness and Wear Orange Weekend in Rochester and Monroe County.
The two local officials joined in a national movement to associate gun violence with the color hunters wear to protect human life.
City and County leaders joined dozens of orange-clad members of the Rochester Peace Collective and the Roc Against Gun Violence Coalition Friday to read the joint proclamation and announce activities taking place throughout the month of June to enhance community collaboration in the fight against gun violence.
“The City of Rochester and County of Monroe are committed to ending gun violence with the support of law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels; and a host of community partners, including the ROC Against Gun Violence Coalition and the Rochester Peace Collective,” the Mayor and County Executive stated in the joint City-County Proclamation. “We call on the people of Rochester and Monroe County to Wear Orange and come together as one community to heal, offer comfort and support, and join the movement to make gun violence a thing of the past.”
The wear-orange movement was initially conceived by the classmates of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendelton of Chicago, who was shot and killed on a school playground one week after marching in President Barack Obama’s inauguration parade.
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a national grass-roots advocacy agency with a chapter in Monroe County has since played a leading role to promote the message across the country. Hadiya would have been 26 today. Now, Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange Weekend takes place on the first Friday and weekend of June.
Members of the ROC Against Gun Violence Coalition and the Rochester Peace Collective are hosting a series of events throughout the month of June.
They include:
In-Person Faith Leaders Summit on Gun Violence: Tuesday, June 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pathways to Peace BBQs: Friday, June 16, 5 to 8 p.m., corner of Jefferson Avenue and Iceland Park; Friday June 30, 5 to 8 p.m., corner of Joseph Avenue and Wilkins Terrace.
Fatherhood Connection Father’s Day Breakfast: Sunday, June 18, 10 a.m. to noon, Ark of Jesus Ministries, 63 Hebard St.
Hope Initiatives Workforce Trainee: Friday, June 23, 9 to 5 p.m., 506 W. Broad St.
