Let's End Gun Violence Together

On December 20th, I woke up to the unbearable news that no one should ever receive. My body could not move as if time stopped the minute that I heard the tragic news. My childhood friend was shot, and unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries. As someone pursuing a Masters of Public Administration with a specialization in Public Policy at NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, gun violence is one of my research interests. Never would I have expected in a million years that I would lose someone that I love to gun violence.

It takes a lot of anger and rage to take someone’s life away. It ties back to the concept of hurt people hurt people. Individuals who have experienced hurt might not have processed their feelings or lack the skills to cope will project their hurt onto another person, which further leads to dangerous and harming behaviors.

At this time of writing, more than 40,000 people have lost their lives from gun violence and 642 mass shootings have occurred in the United States in 2023.

On September 22nd, the Biden administration announced the establishment of the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Vice President Kamala Harris, overseeing this office, met with state legislators about the Safer States Initiatives, encouraging the establishment of a state level gun violence prevent office, investing in evidence-informed solutions to prevent and respond to gun violence, strengthening support for survivors and victims of gun violence, and reinforcing responsible gun ownership. Although these are steps in the right direction, gun violence needs to be a top priority that all elected officials from local all the way to federal need to work on together.

Now it is the time to act and address this issue. Not only elected officials, but us as citizens, we can not become desensitized to gun violence and mass shootings. Imagine being someone who lost their loved ones to gun violence and there is not enough progress being done on the issue. A few days, even months later, another senseless act of gun violence occurred and claimed the lives of innocent individuals. It is time for our elected officials as well as the community to act on this matter.

Here are my recommendations on how we can address gun violence:

1. Legislation and Policy- Both Democrat and Republican party must come together to address gun violence as this issue affects all of us. They need to put the American people first before their respective parties. Not only is this a bipartisan issue, but it affects everyone. Local, state and federal level governments must work collaboratively to look into and implement policies related to violence prevention that will be effective. Even though banning assault weapons can be seen as very effective, it is not politically feasible to get passed at all with the Republican party controlling the House of Representatives. The policy must be politically feasible that both party can agree on.
2. Community Programs- There is a need from any level of government to provide funding for evidence-based community programs involving youth engagement, conflict resolution, and community building with the goal of preventing gun violence. The community program can also include training in first aid, CPR & AED, and “Stop the Bleed”. By providing public access to these training, individuals can use these skills to respond to someone with injuries and save lives. Or even providing a youth center within towns so students have an environment to express themselves
3. After School Programs- Collaborate with community leaders and community organizations to establish an after school program that is an inclusive and safe environment for students. The after school programs can offer educational support, mentorship, and recreational activities. It is also crucial to collect feedback and information from the community on what students need. With the support from families, after school programs can be implemented or modeled from similar programs aiming to reduce all types of violence.
4. Investment in Mental Health Services- Elected officials must collaborate on investing more funding on mental health services. We want to ensure that the services give each person the support that they need. It can also be effective as individuals can learn the skills to de-escalate conflict in a healthy way. Having a collaborative and a comprehensive approach to address mental health issues can play a factor in preventing gun violence.

Further collaboration from our elected officials and the community are the key to reducing and eventually breaking the cycle of gun violence so that another family does not have to mourn their loved ones due to this tragedy similar to me losing my childhood friend. Contact your elected official and inform them that we need change now.