NATIONAL VIGIL HELD ON DECEMBER 7TH TO MARK 10-YEAR REMEMBRANCE OF SANDY HOOK SHOOTING TRAGEDY

For Immediate Release

December 2, 2022

Media Contact:

John Kelley

jkelley@newtownaction.org

917-679-6475 

MEDIA ADVISORY

NATIONAL VIGIL HELD ON DECEMBER 7TH TO MARK 10-YEAR REMEMBRANCE OF

SANDY HOOK SHOOTING TRAGEDY

 VIGIL WILL HONOR ALL VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF GUN VIOLENCE

 NATIONWIDE VIGILS AND EVENTS TO #EndGunViolence TO BE HELD ACROSS AMERICA

WHAT: December 14, 2022, is the 10-year mark of the Sandy Hook tragedy. Over one million Americans have been shot and over 400,000 Americans killed by guns since 20 children and six educators were killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

In an effort to continue to shine a light on the devastating epidemic of gun violence in our nation, the Newtown Action Alliance Foundation (NAAF), the charitable arm of the Newtown Action Alliance (NAA), and 100+ partners in the gun violence prevention community will host the 10th Annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence near the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting tragedy.

The annual national vigil service of mourning and loving remembrance for all who have fallen victim to the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in America will be held on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at St Mark’s Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This service will anchor the Nationwide Vigils & Events to #EndGunViolence during the month of December. The list of Nationwide Vigils & Events to #EndGunViolence can be found on www.newtownactionalliancefoundation.org.

The victims, survivors and the families impacted by gun violence are often forgotten. The gun violence prevention movement will unite to support the families and communities impacted by gun violence; continue to educate and raise awareness; and keep this critical issue front and center throughout our nation. Together, we will renew our vow to #HonorWithAction to #EndGunViolence in America.

WHO:

-150 families, survivors, students and advocates who have been impacted by gun violence from towns and cities in 22 states, including Newtown, Los Angeles, Oxford, New Haven, Myrtle Beach, Minneapolis, Parkland, Chicago, Uvalde, Buffalo, Highland Park, Hartford, Tucson, and Seattle.

-Senator Richard Blumenthal

-Senator Chris Murphy

-Representative Jahana Hayes

-Congressman-Elect Maxwell Frost (D-FL 10th District), The First Gen-Z Member of Congress

-Po Murray, Co-Founder and Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance and the Newtown Foundation

-Mark Barden, father of Daniel Barden who was killed in Sandy Hook, Co-Founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise

-Natalie Barden, Sister of Daniel Barden who was killed in Sandy Hook

-Greg Jackson, gunshot survivor and Executive Director of Community Justice Action Fund

-Doctor Halleh Akbarnia, shooting survivor & E.R. Physician, Glenview, Illinois

-Garnell Whitfield, Son of Mrs. Ruth Whitfield who was killed on May 15, 2022, at Tops Supermarket in Buffalo, New York

-Mielle McFadden, Great-granddaughter of victim of domestic violence & cousin of gun violence victim Sandy Pa’Trice Easley, South Carolina

-Gwendolyn La Croix, Mother of Jonah who ended his life with an unsecured gun on October 19, 2016, in Michigan

-Donnita Sinclair, Mother of Horace Lorenzo Anderson who was killed during George Floyd protest in Seattle, Washington

-Kimberly and Felix Rubio, Mother and Father of Alexandria “Lexi” who was killed in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas

-Nicole Melchionno, survivor of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Sandy Hook, Connecticut

-Jazmin Cazares, Sister of Jacklyn, who was killed in Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas

-Madeline Johnson, survivor of the Oxford High School shooting in Oxford, Michigan

-Jim Allen, Jershika Maple, & Holly Forbes, Singers

-Doug Hammer, Pianist and Composer

-Velleda C. Miragias, Principal Assistant at Boston Philharmonic and Faculty at Rivers Conservatory and Exeter Philips Academy

-Gays Against Guns Human Beings

-ADAM’s BEAT Choir

-Reverend Michele Morgan, Rector of St Mark’s Episcopal Church, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.

-Reverend Andrea Castner Wyatt, Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church, Newtown, Connecticut

-The Right Reverend Mark Beckwith, Bishops Against Gun Violence

-Rabbi Hannah Spiro Hill Havurah

-Rayyan Syed All Dulles Area Muslim Society

-100+ partners: AAPI Victory Alliance, Advocates for Change, Alliance for Gun Responsibility, American Association of Suicidology, American Gun Safety Association, Amnesty International USA, Baltimore Washington Conference-The United Methodist Church, Bishops United Against Gun Violence, Blessed Ministries & Blessed Devotions, Brady, Brady Campaign Stanislaus County California, BPFNA ~ Bautistas por la Paz, The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, Campaign to Unload, Ceasefire Oregon, CeaseFirePA Education Fund, Center for American Progress, Chicago Survivors Org., Chi-Town GVP Summit, Against Gun Violence-A Santa Barbara County Coalition, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Community Justice Action Fund, Community of Sant'Egidio, Concerned Citizens Against Gun Violence, CT Against Gun Violence, Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence, The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, The ENOUGH Campaign, Episcopal Diocese of Washington, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Equality California, Everytown Survivor Network, Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence, Falmouth Gun Safety Coalition, Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, Franciscan Action Network, Gays Against Guns, Generation Progress, Georgians for Gun Safety, Giffords, Grandmothers Against Gun Violence-Cape Cod, Grandparents for Gun Safety KS & MO, Gun Safety Alliance, Gun Violence Prevention Action Committee, Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah, Gun Violence Prevention PAC, GunSenseVermont, Healing 4 Our Families & Our Nation, Herndon Reston Citizens Against Gun Violence, Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence, Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, International Health & Epidemiology Research Center, Jewish Women International, Journey 4ward, The Joyce Foundation, Jr Newtown Action Alliance, Maine Council of Churches, Maine Gun Safety Coalition, Maine Veterans for Peace, March for Our Lives, March For Our Lives DC, March For Our Lives Virginia, March Fourth, Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, Micah Leadership Council, Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, Million Hoodies Movement for Justice, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Mothers United Against Violence, National Council of Jewish Women, National Equality Action Team (NEAT), No Weapon #1Life Empowerment Foundation, #NoRA, North Carolinians Against Gun Violence, Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, On Earth Peace, Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore, One Aim Illinois, People for Safer Society, Protect Minnesota, Project Unloaded, Psychiatrists for Gun Violence Prevention, Purpose Over Pain, Rabbinical Assembly, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, Regina’s Place, Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, Riley Howell Foundation Fund, Safer Country, San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention, Sandy Hook Promise, Silver State Equality-Nevada,  of ST. Francis Justice, Peace and Care for Creation Committee, Sisters of Mercy of the Americans, Srs. of St. Joseph of Carondelet, The Soul Box Project, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Capitol Hill DC, States United to Prevent Gun Violence, Stop Handgun Violence, Survivors Empowered, Survivors Lead, Survivor Smiles, Teachers Unity to End Gun Violence, Team Enough, Temple Micah, Temple Sinai,Temple Sinai DC Area Interfaith GVP Group, Tennessee Gamechangers United for Justice and Equality, Texas Gun Sense, The United Methodist Church -- General Board of Church and Society, This Is Our Lane, Union for Reform Judaism, Urban Word NYC, Violent Crime Survivors, Vision Quilt, Washington National Cathedral, WAVE Educational Fund, Women's March, Woman's National Democratic Club, and Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice

WHERE:

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

Capitol Hill

301 A St SE, Washington, DC 20003

WHEN:  Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at 7:00-9:00 PM

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The Newtown Action Alliance Foundation (https://www.newtownactionalliancefoundation.org/) is a charitable arm of the Newtown Action Alliance. It is a Newtown-based; all volunteer organization formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Our mission is “To provide comfort, education, scholarship and other support and resources to people and communities impacted by and living or growing up among or in the aftermath, of violence in American society; and to help them lead the way toward positive cultural change over the long term.”

Newtown Action Alliance (https://www.newtownactionalliance.org/) is a grassroots national gun violence prevention organization formed after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It works to make America’s children, families, and all citizens safer through legislative and cultural change that will reduce gun violence in our nation.