Like too many young people across the country, Averie Bishop knows what it’s like to fear for your safety at school. Having come of age in a decade marred by mass shootings and everyday gun violence, Bishop is well versed in lockdown drills—she learned early on to keep her eyes on the classroom door, listen for gunshots, and be prepared to drop for cover or run for her life at any moment.

It’s a sad reality that has become second nature for countless Texans, all because the state’s elected leaders refuse to take actions to curb the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our country. For Bishop, it’s unacceptable—and she’s running for the Texas State House to create a safer future free of gun violence for the next generation. 

Bishop brings years of advocacy and life experience to this fight. As a former Miss Texas, she traveled her state and met with children of all backgrounds. She’s also worked as a substitute teacher and knows how traumatized our children are by the concept of school shootings and senseless violence. When the heartbreaking news broke that 19 students and two educators had been senselessly murdered at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in May 2022, her first thought was for the safety of her students. Bishop knew she couldn’t remain silent in the wake of such carnage, and she used her platform and experience studying law to produce an online content series focused on educating young people about the horrors of gun violence and the need to push legislators to advance meaningful solutions to prevent future tragedies. She reached millions of young people and raised crucial funds for the impacted families in Uvalde.

Now, she’s determined to continue pushing for progress on gun safety from the inside. If elected, Bishop is committed to passing meaningful gun legislation, including measures that would expand background checks to all gun sales, incentivize safe storage, and remove dangerous weapons from the hands of domestic abusers and those who pose risks to themselves or others. We need her voice in the state house now more than ever—lives are truly at stake. We know she has the energy and determination to win, and voters must mobilize like never before to elect this committed champion to office. With Averie Bishop helping lead the push for a safer future, we know progress is possible.

We are proud to award Averie Bishop the GIFFORDS Champion Award and endorse her for the Texas State House.