Friday is National Gun Violence Awareness Day in Pasadena

The Pasadena City Council is calling on residents to join together on June 2 to raise awareness of gun violence and to support efforts to prevent it.

People are urged to wear orange from June 2 through June 4 in remembrance of victims and survivors of gun violence because it is what hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves from harm, and it is a bright, bold color that demands to be seen.

“Stopping gun violence requires a comprehensive approach involving education, proper licensing, training, etc.,” Mayor Victor Gordo said in a statement to Pasadena Now.

“But all the more important is steering people away from gang activity and other violent activity by improving education, increasing job opportunities and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to be a contributing and successful member of our community.”

There will be several related local events.

First, community members are invited to participate in the #WearOrange Selfie Challenge. Local residents are being asked to share selfies on social media wearing orange in solidarity against gun violence and tag @day1do and @CityOfPasadena and use the hashtags #WearOrange #Day1DO and #OrangeDena.

Also from 4 to 6 p.m. on June 2 at 175 N. Euclid Ave., local residents can take part in a conversation on gun control and how Pasadenans can work together to keep youth and the community safe. Day One will gather a local panel of community members.

On Sunday, Pasadena’s All Saints Church will conduct hold a series of events to raise awareness of gun violence. The events are part of the work by the church’s Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, which was formed in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012.

The Council’s proclamation comes at a time when gun violence is rising in the United States. In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control reported more than 48,000 gun-related deaths in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Pasadena City Council’s proclamation is part of a growing movement to raise awareness of gun violence and to demand action from elected officials. In recent months, there have been a number of mass shootings in the United States,

These shootings have sparked renewed calls for gun control measures, such as universal background checks and an assault weapons ban. However, gun control remains a divisive issue in the United States, and it is unclear whether any new gun control measures will be enacted.