WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA-7) and Moms Demand Action executive director Angela Ferrell-Zabala hosted a panel at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference to discuss how Black leaders at every level of government are working to end gun violence.
Ferrell-Zabala moderated the panel, which featured Rep. Lucy McBath, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist, Mayors Against Illegal Guns member Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, and New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie.
Panelists discussed the work that needs to be done in communities across the country and at the federal level to address America’s gun violence epidemic and its impact on the Black community, such as investing in our neighborhoods and giving people the resources and tools they need to address the root causes of violence.
“Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children, teens and young adults in our country, with Black children and teens experiencing it at higher rates than their white peers,” said Moms Demand Action executive director Angela Ferrell-Zabala. “We know there is no time to waste because our lives are on the line. But we also know that we have the solutions our communities need. And that’s why we’re working to elect more Black leaders, including women and gun violence survivors, to every level of government.”
“To me, my son Jordan was the miracle of motherhood,” said Rep. McBath. “Every day I thought I couldn’t love him more, and every day I was proven wrong. When Jordan was killed by a man who should never have had a gun, I knew I had to channel my pain into purpose so that no parent would ever have to feel that same pain. This panel gave us an opportunity to hear directly from leaders across the country on what we can do to end gun violence, and I am proud to join with them in the fight.”
