Riverdale Ethical Society Forum on Gun Violence

Last Saturday, June 23, the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, a leading member of the American Ethical Union, sponsored a 3-hour teach-in from 4-7 pm titled “Beyond Gun Control: Race, Youth, and the New Movement to End Gun Violence” at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.

Students walk out from school and gather at the U.S. Capitol to protest gun violence in Washington, D.C on March 14, 2018 . Photo by Olivier Douliery/ Abaca(Sipa via AP Images)

The event featured youth, educators, faith leaders, and community organizers as we delve into this very dynamic moment in the evolution of the gun control movement. Speakers included Maham Hassan, a senior at IN-Tech Academy in the Bronx who lead a 300-student walk-out against gun violence, and Jone Johnson Lewis, Leader of Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, who will provide context.

June is Gun Violence Awareness month, Pride month, and marks the 2-year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting that took 49 lives.

In a time where gun violence is becoming more and more prevalent in our society, the traditional gun control movement is morphing into a broader anti-gun violence movement in which young people of color and white youth, together, are leading and speaking the truth that gun violence occurs in the streets and in schools.

For more information on this teach-in, view the event page on Facebook.

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