Gun safety advocates and champions to rally for lawmakers to strengthen secure storage laws, permit to purchase, investment in community violence intervention programs and other life saving policies
Richmond, V.A. — Friday, January 13 at 9 AM ET, Virginia Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers, part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, will gather for their annual Advocacy Day in Richmond to meet with lawmakers and advocate for gun safety measures to be passed during this upcoming session. At 9 AM, Virginia State Senator Jennifer McClellan, Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts, and Everytown for Gun Safety Senior Vice President of Movement Building Angela Ferrell-Zabala, will join Moms Demand Action volunteers for a rally outside the statehouse.
Since 2020, volunteers in Virginia have secured major wins for gun safety including requiring background checks on all gun sales, closing the gun show loophole, prohibiting guns at several sensitive locations like Capitol Square, state buildings and polling places, and allowing localities to prohibit guns in government buildings and at permitted events – 17 localities covering 2.8 million Virginians have since enacted such ordinances.
WHEN:
Friday, January 13 at 9:00 AM EST (Advised to arrive at 8:45 AM)
WHERE:
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
815 E Grace St, Richmond, VA 23219
WHO:
- Jennifer McClellan, Virginia State Senator (D-District 9)
- Shannon Watts, Founder of Moms Demand Action
- Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Senior Vice President of Movement Building, Everytown for Gun Safety
- Joy McManus, Volunteer for Virginia Chapter of Moms Demand Action
- Mike Fox, Volunteer for Virginia Chapter of Moms Demand Action
- Additional volunteers with Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action
**Please contact [email protected] for more**
“I am so excited to highlight 10 years of our grassroots movements’ tireless work to pass life saving gun safety laws,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “We’ve made incredible progress right in the NRA’s backyard passing strong gun safety laws and defending against efforts to roll them back. We’re stronger than ever and fired up to continue our fight in the state house and at the ballot box to hold our lawmakers accountable to protect our communities.”
“We’re rallying because we want it to be clear that we are not going to take our foot off the gas pedal,” said Mike Fox, a volunteer with the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action “Our communities are still reeling from a year of senseless gun violence and ringing in the new year with more horrific tragedies. We are ready to show up and work with lawmakers to pass gun safety laws that will protect our communities and save lives.”
“Over the past 10 years, our volunteers have tirelessly fought for safer gun policies and against dangerous gun laws that threaten the safety of our communities and our families. Virginia Moms Demand Action volunteers have been on the front lines of this fight, in fact, going so far as to take that fight county by county to ensure that communities retain the right to decide what gun safety solutions work for them,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, senior vice president of movement building at Everytown. “Today, we are larger than ever before and stand ready to continue this work until every community is free from gun violence.”
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