Roanoke, Virginia – The city of Roanoke will officially recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day for the first time ever.
This event, traditionally held on the first Friday in June and extending throughout the weekend, serves as a platform to commemorate the victims of gun violence and foster awareness around the issue, while also inciting collective action. The color orange, symbolizing the anti-gun violence movement, will be prominently featured during this period.
The non-profit organization Families Expecting Deliverance Using Prayer (FEDUP) has been instrumental in spearheading these efforts. Annually, the group organizes a prayer breakfast on this occasion, but this year their vision is to involve the entire Roanoke community.
Rita Joyce, the co-founder of FEDUP, emphasized the urgency of addressing the issue locally, stating, “We have to devise strategies to curtail gun violence. We might not have control over the global situation or even other states, but we certainly can act within our own community of Roanoke.”
The city leaders were slated to officially endorse the proclamation in a city council meeting on Monday.
Roanoke City Councilmember Trish White-Boyd, who has been supporting FEDUP in this endeavor, spoke about the gradual progress being made, “Though the journey to progress might be slow, we are indeed moving forward. The activities today constitute a part of this ongoing progress. Despite the vastness of the problem, everyone from the gun violence prevention task force, the mayor, the city manager, to the police department, is contributing their part.”
National Gun Violence Awareness Day will be observed on June 2, followed by the prayer breakfast in honor of the victims on June 3.
White-Boyd also revealed that Roanoke City Public Schools would be urging their students to don orange clothing. She extended an open invitation to everyone to join in the activities by wearing orange from June 2 to June 4.
