4/4/23 - Join us for a day of collective action
Let's do something to stop school shootings
Welcome to a way to do something.
4/4/2023 will be our day of collective action against gun violence and school shootings. A day to do something. To remember what and whom we are FOR.
On Tuesday, April 4th, we’ll do 4 simple things:
Pray
Talk
Act
Give
Over the next week, we’ll share concrete ideas for how to take these 4 actions in your real life. This won’t be hard or scary, but the reality of school shootings is. So we’re motivated by the children we love and the country we share to do things differently—even 4 small actions on one day—to start working for real change together.
Join us on 4/4. #forchangeforkids
1. Pray
“Thoughts and prayers” has become a cliche in times of tragedy like mass shootings. Yet this instinct to offer prayers reveals something about the human condition: we’re driven to reach for what we believe to be ultimate when everything feels like it’s falling apart.
We want to ground our action in deep reflection, not knee-jerk reactions or dehumanizing attacks. So we want to start from a place of prayer, in humility and hope.
If you’re not a person who prays, this first step can simply be reflection. Why do you care about this issue? What values are driving your desire for change? What do you hope a different future might look like?
2. Talk
Start a conversation with someone you know about why you care about this issue. Move from the comment box to in-person exchanges. Gather with people who share your desire for change. Try to start a conversation with someone who disagrees with you. Find a friend willing to explain their opposite perspective.
Perfect agreement is not the goal, but instead we hope to cultivate a culture of dialogue in the hopes of creating positive change.
We can’t do anything if we can’t talk to each other.
3. Act
We want to do something. Now. Many of us feel the urgency rising up within us. We want to act for change on the local and national levels. So we’ll share ideas for how to act: in your local community, on the state level, and on a national scale.
If we each take one action, even a small step, imagine what a groundswell we could start.
We know the time to act is now. The next school shooting could be tomorrow.
4. Give
Whenever we feel helpless, it helps to start by looking at what we actually have.
Do you have time, energy, money, or resources to share? What about your vote and voice as a citizen? Do you have relationships in your local community, professional or personal experience, or unique perspectives to offer? What gifts or abilities or ideas do you bring to the table?
We don’t have to have millions of dollars or hours of free time to make a difference. If many of us give whatever small good we have, we can make an impact.
Join us on 4/4. (And please share this with a friend, too.)