FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2016
Sandy Hook Promise and More than 50 Groups to Rally on the National Mall for LGBTQ+ Rights, Gun Safety Reforms
Washington, DC – On Saturday, Sandy Hook Promise and a coalition of 50+ organizations will gather to advocate for LGBTQ+ equality and commonsense gun safety legislation at the Disarm Hate Rally on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
Responding to the the tragic shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub in June and a summer filled with senseless gun violence, members of the LGBTQ+ community, allies, advocates, celebrities, religious leaders, and families from around the country will come together to urge legislators to support equal rights for LGBTQ+ citizens and implement responsible gun control reforms to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.
Nicole Hockley of Sandy Hook Promise said, “Gun violence is an issue that affects all of America; no one individual or community is immune. By working together and raising our voices in unity, we can deliver solutions that prevent gun violence for everyone.”
WHAT: Rally to Disarm Hate
WHEN: August 13, 2016, 11am – 4pm
WHERE: West Potomac Park (between Independence Ave., SW and Ohio Dr., SW)
Washington, DC
Speakers will include actor and writer Harvey Fierstein, LGBTQ+ and gun safety advocate Lelia Spears, and Christine Leinonen, whose son was killed in the Orlando shooting.
Participating organizations include: Sandy Hook Promise, Newtown Action Alliance, Connecticut Against Gun Violence, MomsRising, National Action Network, One Pulse for America, Collective Goods, CeaseFirePA, Washington National Cathedral, The Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence, Americans for Responsible Solutions, Million Mom March, The Trevor Project, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Gays Against Guns, Women Against Gun Violence, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, UNDER THE GUN, States United to Prevent Gun Violence, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC, The Matthew Shepard Foundation, Doctors for America, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, National Council of Jewish Women, Students United Against Gun Violence, Rabbis Against Gun Violence, Pride Fund to End Gun Violence, All Saints Church of Pasadena, Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, The Vision Quilt, Cuomo Cole Productions, Living For 32, A New Routine for America, Safe Tennessee Project, WERK for Peace, The ENOUGH Campaign, Gun Free UH, Stonewall Democratic Club, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Greenwich Council Against Gun Violence, Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice, Swish Ally Fund, We The People For Sensible Gun Laws, TOGETHER WE STAND, GunSenseVT, Jewish Women International, Sappho Way Empowerment, The Brown Grrlz Project, and the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare.
Additional information about the rally can be found at www.disarmhate2016.com.
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Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to end school shootings and create a culture change that prevents violence and other harmful acts that hurt children. Through its life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP educates and empowers youth and adults to recognize, intervene, and get help for individuals who may be socially isolated and/or at risk of hurting themselves or others. Through nonpartisan policy and partnerships, SHP advances gun safety, youth mental health, and violence prevention education at the state and federal levels that protect all children from gun violence in their schools, homes, and communities. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Learn more at www.sandyhookpromise.org
Media Contact:
Stephanie Morris, Dini von Mueffling Communications | [email protected] | 646-650-5005
Aimee Thunberg, Senior Director, Communications, Sandy Hook Promise | [email protected] | 646-761-5579