2023 National Gun Violence Awareness Day Proclamation UPDATED

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0�5 m MOR�l�c �,`� ��MA�4 v�� " H V �� '�0 �r�,�� We � �� .exir� t�r�, �a��a�c�ju�ett� �'� . A � ,� � 11 � , �.. J � ��E� �• SELECT BOARD�FFICE �xrnc�o PR.�CLAMATION � � � �, � � � ,�. Whereas; every day,more than 120 Americans are killed by gu.n violence and more than 200 are shot and wou�ded,with an average of rnore than 17,000 gun homicides every yeax; and WheYeas: Americans are 26 times more�ikely to die by gun homicide than peopxe iri other high-income countries; and W�ieYeas: Massachusetts had an average of 255 gun deaths every year from 2016 to 2421,with a rate of 3.5 deaths per 100,000 people, a crisis that costs the state$3.5 bil�ion each year,of which$85.4 mil�ion is paid by taxpayers; and T�l�ereas: cities and towns across the natxon,inc�uding Lexington, are working to end the senseless vialence; and WheYeas: protect�ng public safety xn the communities they serve is one of the Se�ect Board and Town Manager's highest responsibilities; and T�heYeas: gun violer�ce prevention is more impor�ant than ever as we see an increase in fireaxrn homicides and nonfatal shaotings across the country, �ncreased caX�s to domestic violence hotlines, and an increase in city gun violence; and Whereas: in January 2013,Hadiya Pendletan was tragica�ly shot and kil�ed at age 15; and on June 2, 2023,to recognize the 26th b�rthday of Hadiya Pendleton,people across the United States will recogr�ize National Gun Vio�ence Awareness Day and wear orange in tribute to -(1)Hadiya Pendleton and other victims of gun violence; and(2}the loved ones of those victirns; and Whereas: the idea was inspired by a group of Hadiya's friends,who asked their classmates to commemorate her life by wearing orange; they chose this color because hunters wear orange to announce themselves ta ot�ier hunters when out in the woods,a�d orange is a color that symbolizes the value of human life; and Whereas: anyone can j oin th�s campaign by pledging to wear orange on June 2nd, the first Friday in June in 2023,to help raise awaxeness about gur�violence; and Whereas: by wearing orange on June 2,2023 Americans wi11 raise avvareness about gun vioience and honor the lives of gun violence victirns and survivors; and