Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence

Our press conference last week with Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords is having a big impact on the way media covers this omnibus gun bill. Just this morning, The Boston Globe Editorial Board emphatically called on the MA Legislature to pass this bill during THIS legislative session. They quoted Senate President Spilka from the podium of last week's press conference saying, “It is not by accident. We have been vigilant in updating our laws,” and House Speaker Mariano saying, "We will get it (the bill) done." Our press conference made sure that these commitments happened in public in front of the media, and now major media outfits and advocates alike are using these words to hold the Legislature accountable. As the Editorial Board said today, "Spilka and Mariano have given their word — and on Beacon Hill that’s a big deal." Read the full editorial here:

This week, Coalition staff had the opportunity to take part in the largest CVI conference in the country - the GIFFORDS Community Violence Intervention Conference in Los Angeles. We learned about the latest CVI strategies, as well as critical policy and legislative updates from all over the country, and we're eager to put the knowledge we gained this week into practice. One policy panel gave us the chance to hear from Senator Chris Murphy about the impact of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first major federal gun safety bill passed in nearly 30 years. Signed by President Biden two years ago this week, this panel emphasized why a holistic policy approach to gun violence, like the BCSA, is needed to effectively address gun violence as a public health crisis. Thank you GIFFORDS for putting together such an incredible event!

We recently joined our community partners Old Colony YMCA, Safe Corners, and the MA Photovoice Project for a #GunViolenceAwarenessMonth event in Brockton! Young people from Photovoice explored the topic of gun violence in their community through discussion and art, and brought awareness to the ways that gun violence impacts their daily lives in Brockton. We're so glad we could be a part of this incredible community-building event.

This morning, for the very first time, the U.S. Surgeon General declared gun violence to be a public health crisis in the United States. By naming it as a public health crisis, the advisory places gun violence in the same category as infectious disease outbreaks and smoking, and officially calls for an evidence-based, science-backed approach to tackling the issue. The advisory also critically calls for the increased funding and implementation of community-based violence intervention programs, as well as approaches that address the root causes of gun violence, including "housing, equitable access to high‑quality education and health care, and opportunities for employment and economic growth." At this very moment, Coalition staff is attending the GIFFORDS Community Violence Intervention Conference in Los Angeles, learning about CVI strategies and important policy/legislative updates from all over the country. We are thrilled to see this administration commit to prioritizing CVI funding and implementation when it comes to gun violence, and to its understanding that gun violence is an issue that must be addressed at its very roots. Read the full advisory here: https://buff.ly/3VYklZZ Watch the CBS report here: https://buff.ly/4cA20rA

Our community partner Juanita Batchelor, founder of Coalition member organization Darrell Lee Jenkins Jr. Resource Center, was spotlighted in a WWLP piece after speaking at our State House press conference last week! "This cause is also personal for event speaker Juanita Batchelor, Founder of the Darrell Lee Jenkins Jr. Resource Center in Springfield. After losing her son, niece, and son-in-law to gun violence in Springfield, she founded a resource center that advocates for those impacted by gun violence. She says western Massachusetts’ voices are sometimes overlooked in conversations about gun safety, “We need to have a voice about the violence that’s going on and the fight that we’re trying to do. We do have people standing up against this gun violence.” Watch the whole piece here: https://buff.ly/3zoqlSC

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law this morning that allows the state to confiscate a domestic abuser's guns. This is our CEO Ruth Zakarin's response to the Supreme Court's ruling in US v Rahimi: "This morning, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in U.S. vs. Rahimi to uphold the federal law that prohibits people subject to domestic violence restraining orders from possessing guns. This is a victory for survivor safety and for public safety. It is also a tremendous relief. Having spent over 25 years working with survivors of domestic violence and their children, I have witnessed the devastating intersection of guns and domestic violence. I have comforted too many children in the aftermath of a domestic violence homicide. It was this work that brought me to want to make real and lasting change on gun violence. Just this past Tuesday, I spoke at our State House press conference and noted that already in 2024, Massachusetts has seen six domestic violence murder suicides, all perpetrated with a firearm. I was actually wrong. After the press conference, we saw the news that there had been another domestic violence murder suicide discovered just that morning, this time in Wilbraham. This news came on the heels of a 15 year old being shot and killed by her boyfriend in Lowell over the weekend. We have to do way more to keep survivors safe from guns. Had the Rahimi decision gone differently, that work would have been exponentially harder. The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence celebrates this decision. We remain committed to building a world where no one has to fear being shot by a current or former partner, where no child has to bury a parent lost to domestic violence. This is our work."

Raise the Banner, now let’s Raise the Age! The Coalition joined UTEC and other community partners at today’s Boston Celtics parade to spotlight our priority bill Raise the Age. We congratulate the Celtics on their championship, and we are grateful for their ongoing commitment to supporting young adult futures. Investing in youth is investing in peace!

Did you catch us on NBC 10 Boston? "The bill would pave the way for a ban on ghost guns, Glock switches and even expand red flag laws. Gun reform proponents call it a critical step in protecting the Commonwealth. “What I appreciate about this is it has many components that together will keep our communities safer,” said Ruth Zakarin with the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence." Read the full story here:https://buff.ly/3KTY8G4

Today is #ASKDay. Asking Saves Kids Day (ASK Day) is observed each year on the first day of summer when kids are out of school, and spending more time at home or in the homes of others. Join us in preventing gun-related tragedies by reminding parents and adults to ASK: Is there an unlocked gun where my child plays? #AskingSavesKids #EndFamilyFire @bradybuzz @endfamilyfire

Our press conference on Tuesday highlighted the urgency of taking action to prevent further trauma from gun violence. June is Gun Violence Awareness Month, and we have seen far too many lives lost to gun violence in just this month alone. It is critical that an omnibus gun violence prevention bill lands on Gov Healey's desk as soon as possible. The legislature is committed to passing this bill and we will hold them accountable to passing it.