RELEASE: New Campaign Puts NRA Face to Face with Victims of Gun Violence

Dallas, TX – As President Trump, Vice President Pence and a number of other high profile elected officials make their way to Texas to address the National Rifle Association’s annual convention on Friday, a new public awareness campaign –  Face2Face  – will hit the streets in Dallas aimed at raising awareness of what’s at stake if our leaders continue failing to acknowledge and address America’s gun violence crisis. The campaign calls on voters to take note and make electing leaders committed to ending gun violence a top priority this November.

For two days, those attending and speaking at the NRA convention will come face to face with victims of gun violence in a way that is unavoidable, undeniable and incredibly moving. The campaign will kick off tonight with nighttime projections, that feature the faces of victims of gun violence in a larger than life way. Throughout the day on Friday, 5 double-sided mobile billboard trucks will be working their way through the downtown Dallas area surrounding the convention site.

“With so much arguing, political mudslinging, and greed driving important debates about our safety, we wanted to create a moment for people to pause and focus their attention on a side anyone can relate to – their emotional side,” said Susan Levine, creator of Face2Face and an EMMY nominated creative director. “ Face2Face  is designed to illustrate the devastating human toll America’s gun violence crisis is having on our communities by honoring the lives of the children, teachers, friends, and family who have been killed with guns. At the end of the day, saving lives from gun violence is not about being a liberal or a conservative, being for guns or against them, it’s about life — human life.”

America’s gun violence crisis is not normal—and it’s not inevitable. Americans are  25 times more likely  to be killed by a gun than people in other developed nations. In fact, no other country like ours comes close. Over  115,000 people are shot  each year,  almost 34,000 of those fatally . This is an epidemic that needs to be addressed. But for too long, solutions to address gun violence have not moved at the federal level because the gun lobby has made it uncomfortable for lawmakers to talk about gun safety or oppose their dangerous agenda.

“The NRA once promoted gun safety and responsible gun ownership,” said Peter Ambler, Giffords Executive Director. “Today it’s an organization that’s been taken over by lobbyists, corporate interests, and fringe rightwing ideologues. This week, Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and other NRA-backed politicians will gather in Dallas to support a group that has spent millions supporting them. It’s critical that NRA leaders and the politicians they’ve bought and paid for face the tragic loss associated with their refusal to protect Americans from gun violence. If being face to face with the victims of gun violence doesn’t motivate the politicians to protect our kids and communities, there’s a remedy prescribed in the Constitution of the United States – our ability to vote them out. If this Congress won’t protect us, we’ll elect one that will.”

The stories in both the nighttime projections and on the billboard trucks represent the broad spectrum of gun violence afflicting our families and communities – ranging from domestic violence incident involving guns, suicide with a gun, mass shootings, and random acts of gun violence. The photos of victims of gun violence featured include:

• Jessi Redfield Ghawi, 24, shot to death with an AR-15 at a movie premiere in Aurora, Colorado.
• Alison Parker, 24, shot to death on live television with a Glock 9mm pistol on August 26, 2015.
• Alex Mathew Sullivan, 27, shot to death with an AR-15 at a movie premiere in Aurora CO
• Leslie McCarver, age 24, shot herself to death with a Smith & Wesson 38 Special
• Ryanne Mace, 19, shot to death with a Glock 9mm handgun, while attending class DeKalb, Il
• Veronica Moser, 6, shot to death at the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado along with her unborn sibling.
• Daniel Mauser, 15, shot to death with a Hi-Point 9mm Carbine at Columbine High School
• Patrick Wyatt McKinley, 18, shot to death in front of his home by a stranger with a.45 handgun loaded with Hydroshock bullets on new year’s eve – died in his father’s arms
• Mary Joy Sherlach, School Psychologist, shot to death with an AR-15 at Sandy Hook Elementary, on December 14, 2012.
• Ben Wheeler, 6, shot to death with a Remington Bushmaster XM 15-E2, at Sandy Hook Elementary School, on December 14, 2012.
• Aaron Rocha, 17, shot to death with an AR-15, in an incident of random road rage in San Antonio, TX.
• Blair DeLane Holt, 16, shot to death with a.40 caliber semi-automatic while riding a CTA (public bus) home after leaving Percy L. Julian High School in Chicago, Ill.
• Nina Michele Bradley, 23, shot to death with an AR-15 in her home in North Carolina.
• Darien Leigh Richardson, 25, shot to death in her own bed, with a.45 caliber semi-automatic pistol during a home invasion.
• Veronika Weiss, 19, shot to death at the Isla Vista shooting with Sig Sauer p226 model handguns and a Glock 34.
• Janice Marie Heyne, 51, shot to death with a Ruger 9mm handgun visiting a family friend
• Dedrick Deshon Earl, 22, shot to death with a Taurus.357 revolver by upstairs neighbor of friend he was visiting Austin, TX
• Terrell Bosley, 18, shot to death with a.45 Caliber handgun on the grounds of a church in Chicago, Il.
• Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32, shot to death with a SIG Sauer MCX at the at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, FL.
• Brishell Jones, 16, shot to death with an AK-47 at a drive-by on South Capitol Street in Washington DC.
• Grace Loncar, 16, shot herself to death with a.45 Caliber Handgun in Dallas, Texas.
• Akeal Christopher, 15, shot to death with a.38 Revolver, walking home from a graduation party.
• Courtlin Arrington, 17, shot to death with a handgun at Huffman High School in Birmingham, Alabama.
• Joaquin Oliver, 17, shot to death with an AR-15 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL on February 14, 2018.

Face2Face is sponsored by a number of organizations committed to raising awareness and demanding action to address America’s gun violence crisis, including  Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence ,  Gun Safety Alliance ,  Survivors Empowered , and  The Female Quotient .

“The Gun Safety Alliance wanted to be part of this important effort in reminding everyone that there is a precious life behind every gun death statistic,” said a representative of the Gun Safety Alliance. “Gun safety and the 2nd amendment don’t have to be at odds.”

“The best way for change to happen is when we work together,” said Shelley Zalis, CEO, The Female Quotient. “Bringing the students and all the vital voices together with Face2Face ensures we’re amplifying and activating the change we want to see in the world today in order to create a safer place for us all.”

*****Background on America’s Gun Violence Crisis

• America’s firearm death rate has climbed to a level not seen in decades. In recent years, the gun death rate has begun to rise –  gun deaths increased  by 7.9% from 2014 to 2015 and 6.6% from 2015 to 2016, making 2016 the deadliest year since 1993. In 2016, 38,000 gun related deaths were reported. That amounts to more than 100 per day.
• The United States has exceptionally high rates of gun violence. Over 14,000 Americans were murdered with guns in 2016 – a rate  nearly 25 times higher  than in peer countries. Women in the united states are  11 times  more likely to be murdered with a gun than in peer countries. And young Americans between the ages of 15 and 19 are  82 times  more likely to be murdered with a gun.
• The gun epidemic is hitting underserved communities of color particularly hard – gun homicide rates in these neighborhoods have reached a crisis point. The murder rate among black male Americans is close to 90 homicides per 100,000 – nearly  20 times the national average . Black Americans comprise just 13% of the United States population, but constitute more than  50% of all firearm homicides .
• Every  16 hours  in America a woman is fatally shot by an ex-spouse or intimate partner. Abused women are  five times more likely  to be killed by their abuser if the abuser has access to a gun.
• The majority of gun deaths are self-inflicted. Having easy access to guns makes suicide attempts by someone in crisis far more likely to result in death. Firearms account for only 5% of suicide attempts but over  50% of suicide deaths . More than  75% of guns  used in suicide attempts of children and teens were stored in the residence of the victim, a relative, or a friend.
• Unsecured guns pose a special risk to children. Kids  as young as three-years-old  are strong enough to pull a trigger. A total of  915 children  under the age of 18 died from unintentional gunshot wounds between 2007 and 2016.

*****Background about the Face2Face Partners:

•  Gun Safety Alliance : We are a coalition of business leaders and concerned citizens who have come together to prevent unnecessary gun deaths in America. We are against gun terror and the culture that perpetuates it. We have more than 2,000 members who are leaders in business, advertising and marketing. We think we have an important role to play in:

•  Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence : Giffords is a national organization committed to fighting for a safer America, one where our children grow up without fear of gun violence. Giffords researches and proposes policies that will make our communities safer and mobilizes voters and lawmakers in support of safer gun laws. Founded by gun owners, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, Navy Combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut Capt. Mark Kelly, Giffords brings together people from all walks of life, including veterans, law enforcement officers, faith leaders, lawyers, business leaders, doctors, students, parents, teachers to inspire the courage of our nation to stand together and make change happen.

•  Survivors Empowered : An organization founded by Sandy and Lonnie Phillips after the slaughter of their daughter, Jessica Redfield Ghawi and eleven others in the Aurora Colorado Theater Mass Shooting in 2012. Their original non-profit, Jessi’s Message, has grown into Survivors Empowered – a national organization created By Survivors, For Survivors, Empowering Survivors.

•  The Female Quotient  is in the business of equality. The company is committed to advancing diversity in the workplace through collaboration, activating solutions for change and creating measurements for accountability. The Female Quotient does this through the Girls’ Lounge and Equality Lounge, which are pop-up experiences at conferences, corporations, and college campuses that bring women (and men) together to transform workplace culture. The brand also publishes  The Modern Guide To Equality , which highlights the latest equality research and trends and offers benchmarks for progress within companies. Gender equality is not a female issue, it’s an economic and business imperative.

*****Background about Face2Face Creator Susan Levine:Susan is an EMMY nominated Creative Director in the advertising community and creator of Face2Face. She is incredibly passionate about giving back in ways that help make an impact. The recent tragedies have personally hit home for her family as her two nieces are Marjory Stoneman Douglas alumni and are deeply rooted in the Parkland community. Currently based out of Dallas, Susan sees the NRA Convention as an opportunity on the ground to help amplify the movement that the brave survivors of MSD ignited to end gun violence.

Levine feels strongly that it’s the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety of its citizens and that the NRA should be in full support of doing what it takes to implement common sense gun safety practices. She believes that the only way change may happen lies in the power of our own hands, and that is at the polls.

After conceiving the idea, Levine pulled together a team of like-minded professionals to help bring the campaign to life. “We just want to do what we can with our backgrounds to help build momentum for the movement,” says Ann Vorlicky, volunteer producer for Face2Face. Within 72 hours, Levine and Vorlicky secured media partners along with a team of volunteers to help execute. Leaving them with less than 7 days to raise the funding necessary for the paid media along with getting help with outreach to victims’ families in a way that would be appropriate.

As luck would have it or as some may say “kismet”, a few days later through a ton of networking, Susan was introduced to Shelley Zalis of the Female Quotient who had recently sponsored a panel of student survivors from MSD at the 4A’s leadership conference. Shelley arranged for a call with Levine and the Gun Safety Alliance who helped raised some private funding along with garnering interest from Giffords who closed the gap and are helping by supporting the project all in time to commit to the media plan. At the same time volunteers through survivor networks, Amanda Johnson (survivor support volunteer at MDA) and Sandy Phillips (of Survivors Empowered), 24 permissions were secured. Materials went to press just in the nick of time.

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Learn more about Face2Face by following the campaign on Twitter:  @Face2Face .