Senate Resolution No. 2323

BY: Senator PARKER

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        June 7, 2024, as Gun Violence Awareness Day  in  the
        State of New York

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  custom  of this Legislative Body to recognize
official days set aside to increase awareness of  serious  issues  which
affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, it is the sense of this  Legislative  Body  to
memorialize  Governor  Kathy  Hochul  to  proclaim  June 7, 2024, as Gun
Violence Awareness Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the
observance of National Gun Violence Awareness Day; and

  WHEREAS, On June 7, 2024, American citizens are encouraged  to  wear
orange to show their desire to end gun violence in our great Nation; and

  WHEREAS,  On  January 21, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old high
school student from the south side  of  Chicago,  marched  in  President
Obama's  2nd  Inaugural  Parade; one week later, she was tragically shot
and killed; and

  WHEREAS, Deeply saddened by her senseless death, Hadiya  Pendleton's
friends  and  classmates  chose to wear the color orange to remember her
life; they chose this bright color because that is what hunters wear  in
the  woods  to protect themselves and others from unfortunate accidents;
and

  WHEREAS, On June 2, 2015, what would have  been  Hadiya  Pendleton's
18th  Birthday,  a broad-based coalition asked people nationwide to join
her friends in honoring her life, plus those of the  91  Americans  shot
and killed every day; and

  WHEREAS,  What  started  in  a  south  side high school to celebrate
Hadiya Pendleton has turned into a  nationwide  movement  to  honor  all
lives  cut  short by gun violence; Wear Orange Day is also a celebration
of life and a call to action to help save lives from gunfire; and

  WHEREAS, The Wear Orange movement, which was inspired  by  bold  and
creative Chicago teenagers who refused to be silent in the face of daily
gun violence, reached an astonishing 220 million people in just one day;
and

  WHEREAS,  It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of
this serious issue including  prevention,  intervention,  education  and
outreach; and

  WHEREAS, Increased awareness and coordination among all stakeholders
is  critical  to the prevention of gun violence, the equal protection of
our citizens, and to ensure our  state's  safety  for  our  youth;  now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to  proclaim  June  7,  2024,  as  Gun
Violence Awareness Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of  New
York.