Recognizing January 22-26, 2024, as National Gun Violence Survivors Week, in honor of survivors of gun violence and the lifelong burdens they carry.

Recognizing January 22-26, 2024, as National Gun Violence Survivors Week, in honor of survivors of gun violence and the lifelong burdens they carry. WHEREAS, According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 45,000 Americans are killed in acts of gun violence each year and tens of thousands more are victims of non-fatal shootings. By the end of January, more Americans are killed with guns than our peer countries in an entire calendar year; and WHEREAS, In 2023, Philadelphia experienced 373 fatal shootings and 1,287 non-fatal shootings according to the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting. Each incident of gun violence has a ripple effect, impacting entire families and communities; and WHEREAS, A gun violence survivor is anyone who has personally experienced gun violence - whether you have witnessed an act of gun violence, been threatened or wounded with a gun, or had a loved one wounded or killed; and WHEREAS, Forms of gun violence can include, but are not limited to: gun suicides, gun homicides, domestic violence involving a gun, shootings by law enforcement, and unintentional shootings; and WHEREAS, The impact of gun violence is felt disproportionately in communities of color. Black men make up 52% of all gun homicide victims in the US, despite comprising less than 6% of the population. Nationwide, 68% of Black and Latino Americans or someone they care for have experienced gun violence in their lifetime, demonstrating the impact a…