Tell Congress to take ACTION & END gun violence!
Congress
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), firearms were the leading cause of death in 2019 for young adults 20-24, accounting for over half the deaths among young Black men. When we look at gun violence as a public health issue it’s not hard to believe that the vast majority of these tragedies disproportionately impact Black people and communities of color — just like the COVID-19 crisis. Last year, the United States saw the highest one-year increase in gun-related homicides since it began keeping records.
More than 100 Americans are killed daily by gun violence, but high-profile media coverage of mass shootings — consistently overshadows the everyday violence that represents the majority of firearm fatalities.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, cities throughout the United States saw significant increases in gun violence. We are demanding that Congress respond to gun violence — a national public health crisis — a crisis in the midst of a pandemic, which requires them to meet this moment with urgency.
Many communities across this country live with ever-present gun violence, yet there have been no substantial policy changes. The ongoing disenfranchisement and looting of the most vulnerable communities deserve immediate solutions.
The American Job Plan is a comprehensive infrastructure package proposed by President Biden. Within the bill, he calls on Congress to allocate $5 billion over eight years in support of evidence-based community violence prevention programs.
We need Congress to take action NOW, tackle this issue head-on, and keep communities targeted by gun violence safe and whole. By making meaningful investments, we can finally address the systemic issues that created this epidemic. That’s why we’re calling on Congress to pass President Biden’s American Jobs Plan.
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To:
Congress
From:
[Your Name]
Color Of Change, in partnership with Fund Peace and the Invest In Us Gun Violence Prevention Coalition, is calling on you to prioritize passing President Biden’s American Jobs Plan:
For decades, Black and brown communities have borne the disproportionate impact of interpersonal gun violence in our country. We must understand gun violence as a public health crisis and address it with the same urgency as COVID-19. That’s why we are calling on you to look at gun violence through a public health lens, analyze root causes, and fund evidence-based community violence prevention programs. By leveraging the expertise of those directly impacted by gun-related trauma, we can finally address the dual crises caused by under-protecting and over-policing.
Gun violence is a public health crisis. We know what the solutions are—
1. Trust and prioritize the expertise of communities most impacted by gun violence.
2. Invest in participatory research, analyze root causes, and invest in community-based solutions.
Those closest to the pain must be closest to the power. We know what our communities need. We must leverage the expertise of those directly impacted by gun-related trauma. And we’re fighting for strategies that center our voices and prioritize our needs. The Invest In us and Fund Peace campaign calls on Congress to support this bold and necessary investment by the Biden Administration. The totality of this Infrastructure Package will provide expedited and sustained relief and opportunity to our most vulnerable Americans.
This moment requires a systemic shift from harm-based punitive legislation to public health strategies that prioritize harm reduction, racial equity, and community empowerment. The Invest In us and Fund Peace campaign is calling on you to support this bold and necessary investment by the Biden Administration.
Sincerely,
Your Name