Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Applaud The White House For Going Orange For Tenth Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange Campaign

Follows Announcement Earlier Today that President Biden Will Address Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund’s Annual Training Conference, Gun Sense University, On Tuesday

NEW YORK— Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, released the following statements applauding President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden for illuminating the White House in orange this evening in honor of today’s National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange weekend. Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff also showed his support for victims and survivors of gun violence by joining executive director of Moms Demand Action Angela Ferrell-Zabala at the Washington Mystics’ annual Wear Orange game.

“President Biden is leading the strongest gun sense Administration in American history, so it’s only fitting that the White House is lighting up orange in honor of Wear Orange weekend,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “Everytown couldn’t be more grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for championing common sense solutions to our nation’s gun violence crisis 365 days a year.” 

“Seeing the White House illuminated in orange is deeply meaningful and powerful for everyone in our movement, especially survivors of gun violence,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. “The Biden-Harris Administration has been a steadfast ally in the fight for gun safety, and we are so thankful for their unwavering commitment to ending this crisis.”

During National Gun Violence Awareness Day, the White House was joined by organizations, elected officials, landmarks across the country and countless people in America to honor victims and survivors of gun violence and demand a future free from gun violence. More information about Wear Orange is available here.

Earlier today, it was announced that on Tuesday, June 11 at 1:30 PM ET, President Joe Biden will join Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund’s annual Gun Sense University conference in Washington, D.C. Gun Sense University brings together Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers and survivors of gun violence from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. to share best practices, participate in training sessions about effective organizing and prepare for the crucial work ahead. 

At Gun Sense University, President Biden will highlight the progress his Administration has made to reduce crime and keep guns out of dangerous hands thanks to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and everything the Biden-Harris Administration is doing to keep our communities safe and end the epidemic of gun violence in the United States.

Wear Orange originated on June 2, 2015 — what would have been Hadiya Pendleton’s 18th birthday. It began with teenagers who wanted to honor their friend, Hadiya, after she was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago a little over one week after marching as a majorette in President Obama’s second inaugural parade. Now, Wear Orange honors Hadiya and the more than 120 people shot and killed every day in the United States, as well as the hundreds more who are shot and wounded and the countless others who are traumatized by acts of gun violence. Advocates across the country unite to call for an end to all forms of gun violence, including domestic violence, firearm suicide, mass shootings, police shootings, city gun violence, and more.