WHEREAS, Every day, more than 100 Americans are killed by gun violence alongside more than 230 who are shot and wounded, and on average there are more than 14,000 gun homicides every year; and

WHEREAS, Americans are 25 times more likely to die by gun homicide than people in other high-income countries; and

WHEREAS, California has the 45th highest rate of gun deaths in the United States, with over 3,000 gun deaths every year, a rate of 7.6 deaths per 100,000 people; and

WHEREAS, In the City of Los Angeles, there were 350 homicides in 2020, nearly 100 more than in 2019, many of which involved gun violence; and

WHEREAS, Protecting public safety in the communities they serve is among a legislator’s greatest responsibilities; and

WHEREAS, Black and Latinx communities have borne the heaviest burden of gun violence in cities for years; and

WHEREAS, Support for the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens goes hand-in-hand with keeping guns away from people that shouldn’t have them; and

WHEREAS, Acknowledging recent strides made by the Biden Administration, there remains a need for greater focus on gun violence prevention within our communities; and

WHEREAS, Gun violence prevention is more important than ever as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exacerbate gun violence after more than a year of increased gun sales, increased calls to suicide and domestic violence hotlines, and an increase in city gun violence; and

WHEREAS, In January 2013, 15 year old Hadiya Pendleton was tragically shot and killed, and on June 4, 2021, to recognize the 24th birthday of Hadiya Pendleton, people across the United States will recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day and wear orange in tribute to Hadiya, other victims of gun violence, and their loved ones; and

WHEREAS, The idea was inspired by a group of Hadiya’s friends, who asked their classmates to commemorate her life by wearing orange because hunters wear orange to announce themselves to other hunters when out in the woods and orange is a color that symbolizes the value of human life; and

WHEREAS, Anyone can join this campaign by pledging to wear orange on June 4, the first Friday in June in 2021, to help raise awareness about gun violence; and

WHEREAS, By wearing orange on June 4, 2021, Americans will raise awareness about gun violence and honor the lives of gun violence victims and survivors; now, therefore, be it