HOUSTON GUN VIOLENCE MEMORIAL

The Gun Violence Memorial is coming to Discovery Green in Houston to remember victims of gun violence and inspire the #CourageToAct. These 4,164 vases represent the number of people in Texas who died from gun violence in 2020.

Open to the public March 7–11, 2022.

About Partners

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GUN DEATHS ROSE 12% IN Texas in 2020

That’s 4,164 people in Texas. Nationwide, 45,000 lives were lost to rising gun violence. To honor this preventable loss of life, we’ve installed 4,164 vases of flowers in Houston.

The Gun Violence Memorial is open for public viewing. We encourage you to visit, reflect, and urge your elected officials to take action.

Discovery Green
Houston
March 7–11

PLEDGE TO FIGHT GUN VIOLENCE

Stand with Gabby Giffords and join our efforts to make our country safer from gun violence. It takes all of us to fight fear and despair with courage and action.

A PLACE TO REMEMBER & REFLECT

Every flower is a life that could be saved. We’re visiting Houston to commemorate victims of gun violence and inspire the #CouragetoAct.

Last April, Giffords installed a memorial on the National Mall in Washington DC with 40,000 flowers representing the number of Americans who die from gun violence each year. Tragically, new data indicates that number rose to 45,000 in 2020.

That’s why we’re taking the Gun Violence Memorial on the road and visiting Houston. No state or community in the United States is safe from preventable shootings—nearly every American will know a victim of gun violence at some point in their lifetime. This memorial will visualize that reality in a bold and unique way that refuses to be overlooked or ignored.

Giffords will host press events and meet with community partners, while our Giffords Gun Owners for Safety coalition members will advocate before local officials. Anyone in Houston will have the opportunity to visit the memorial and learn more about the fight to end gun violence.

A PLACE TO INSPIRE ACTION

We can save lives from gun violence, but only if we have leaders with the courage to act.

State

Texas

In recent years, Texas has suffered some of the deadliest mass shooting incidents in modern US history, yet Texas lawmakers have responded by continuing to weaken the state’s most basic gun safety laws.

Gun Law Scorecard Grade: F

Gun violence impacts every community in Texas in tragic and preventable ways. But instead of taking action to address this crisis, state lawmakers sided with the gun lobby and pushed through a permitless carry bill that will escalate conflicts and lead to more violence. Meanwhile in Washington, Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn have ignored calls for action and done nothing at all. We can save lives from gun violence, but only if we have leaders with the courage to act.

The most recent CDC gun violence data indicates a clear trend: gun violence is on the rise. An estimated 4,164 Texans lost their lives to gun violence in 2020. That’s a 12% increase over the previous year.

Gun Violence Memorial Partners

Thank you to our dedicated partners for joining us in honoring the 4,164 Texans who lost their lives to gun violence in 2020. We admire the lifesaving work you do day in, day out.

COMMUNITY JUSTICE ACTION FUND

Founded in 2016, the Community Justice Action Fund (CJAF) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization through Tides Advocacy, building power for and with communities of color to end gun violence. Since their inception, CJAF has changed the conversation around gun violence prevention by advocating for policy changes at the local and federal level that focus on community and coalition building. These approaches empower communities with increased resources and a holistic approach to gun violence prevention not connected to increasing law enforcement.
cjactionfund.org

HOUSTON AREA WOMEN’S CENTER

Since 1977, the Houston Area Women’s Center (HAWC) has helped countless women, children and families escaping domestic violence, sexual assault or sex trafficking. HAWC helps survivors transform their lives, free from violence. Because of their courage, they are convinced that this crisis can and must be stopped.
hawc.org

Texas Council on Family Violence

The Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) is dedicated solely to creating safer communities and freedom from family violence. With a statewide reach and direct local impact, TCFV shapes public policy, equips service providers with essential tools and initiates strategic prevention efforts. Since 1978, they have been a nationally recognized leader in their efforts to end family violence.
tcfv.org

TEXAS GUN SENSE

Texas Gun Sense began out of a sense of frustration with escalating gun violence in Texas and in the nation. Texas Gun Sense advocates for common sense, evidence-based policies to reduce gun injuries and deaths. The organization uses “gun sense” because it recognizes citizens’ right to own guns, but also believes our laws could be strengthened to include more sensible policies that would protect the general public from avoidable accidents and injuries from guns.
txgunsense.org

SPOTLIGHT

GABBY’S STORY
OF COURAGE

In 2011, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head while meeting with constituents in Tucson, Arizona. In the face of adversity and opposition, she’s inspired millions to fight for a safer America, one free from gun violence.

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