Meet 20 Gun Violence Survivors, Advocates Attending Tonight’s State of the Union Address
This post will be updated as more guest announcements are made. Last updated: February 5 at 8:30 p.m.
President Trump will likely ignore America’s gun violence crisis during his State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 5. But gun violence survivors and gun safety advocates will be in the House Chamber to remind the nation of their loved ones and to remind us how urgent and personal this issue is.
Members of Congress are sending a message to the president—and to the country—that gun safety is at the top of their priority list.
Meet the gun violence survivors, families, and gun safety advocates who will be attending the address.
Fred Guttenberg | Parkland, Florida
Fred Guttenberg will attend as the guest of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Fred has been an outspoken advocate for gun safety after losing his daughter, Jaime, nearly a year ago in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Charlie Mirsky | Parkland, Florida
Charlie Mirsky will also attend the address as one of Speaker Pelosi’s guests. Charlie is the political director of March For Our Lives, which he helped found after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Mattie Scott | San Francisco, California
Mattie Scott’s son was shot and killed in 1996. Her son’s death inspired her to begin advocating for gun safety laws, and she now heads the San Francisco Chapter of the Brady Campaign. She will attend the State of the Union as a guest of Speaker Pelosi.
Rhonda Hart | Santa Fe, Texas
Rep. Lizzie Fletcher invited Rhonda Hart, whose daughter Kimberly was killed in the Santa Fe High School shooting in Texas in May 2018, to be her guest. She’s become a leading voice in the fight for stronger gun safety laws—calling out Senator Ted Cruz for his inaction and demanding more from lawmakers.
Michelle Roberson | West Chester, Pennsylvania
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan’s State of the Union guest Michelle Roberson’s daughter, Bianca, was senselessly shot and killed in a road rage incident in 2017. Bianca had recently graduated high school and was planning to attend college on a full scholarship.
Cameron Kasky | Parkland, Florida
Cameron Kasky was at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when 17 of his classmates were shot and killed a year ago this month. He is a co-founder of March for Our Lives and has been a strong advocate for gun violence prevention. He will attend the State of the Union address with Rep. Eric Swalwell of California.
Margaret and Jeff Binkley | Tallahassee, Florida
Three months ago, Margaret and Jeff Binkley lost their daughter Maura in a shooting at a yoga studio in Tallahassee, Florida. They have been invited to attend the address with Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath, who lost her own son Jordan to gun violence.
Mary Majok | Aurora, Colorado
Mary Majok, a Sudanese refugee, lost her son Potros Mabany last year to gun violence when he was just 21 years old. She will join Colorado Congressman Jason Crow at the State of the Union address.
Dr. Joseph Sakran | Fairfax Station, Virginia
A gunshot survivor and trauma surgeon, Dr. Joseph Sakran has been a leader in the gun violence prevention movement for many years. Congressman Mike Thompson of California invited Dr. Sakran to join him at this year’s address.
Lane Murdock | Ridgefield, Connecticut
High school junior, gun safety activist, and Giffords Courage Fellow Lane Murdock will join Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut at the State of the Union. Last April, Murdock organized the National School Walkout against gun violence.
Andy Pollack | Parkland, Florida
Andy Pollack has been invited by Florida Senator Rick Scott. Pollack has been vocal since his 18-year-old daughter, Meadow, was shot and killed in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Empty Seat | Las Vegas, Nevada
Rep. Dina Titus represents the city of Las Vegas. Her seat will sit empty to represent the 58 lives stolen in the deadliest shooting in modern history that occurred in October 2017 in Las Vegas.
Malcolm J. Yates and Beverly Wright | Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon has invited gun violence survivors Malcolm J. Yates and Beverly Wright to be her guests at the State of the Union. Malcolm was 9 years old when he survived a shooting at a candy store that stole the life of his 5-year-old brother. He launched a community center in his brother’s name. Beverly lost her son Emein to gun violence when he was 23 years old. She’s been a fierce advocate for gun safety reform and went on to help launch a support group for families affected by gun violence.
Tiphanie Carter | Birmingham, Alabama
Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell will attend the address with Tiphanie Carter, whose husband Sgt. Wytasha Carter was shot and killed in the line of duty just weeks ago.
Alexandria Goddard | Portland, Oregon
Oregon Rep. Suzanne Bonamici invited Alexandria Goddard, a student advocate for gun violence prevention who was an organizer for the Portland March for Our Lives last year.
Manuel Oliver | Parkland, Florida
Rep. Ted Deutch invited Manuel Oliver to hear President Donald Trump’s speech. Manuel started the non-profit organization Change the Ref in honor of his son, Joaquin, who was 17 years old at the time of the shooting.
Jami Amo | Pennsylvania
Jami Amo will be the guest of Pennsylvania Rep. Madeleine Dean. Amo survived the Columbine shooting and currently lives in Pennsylvania where she advocates for gun safety.
Judah Samet | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Judah Samet survived the Holocaust and narrowly escaped the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh last October. He’s attending the State of the Union as a guest of President and First Lady Trump.
Joshua Quick | Tallahassee, Florida
Rep. Al Lawson invited Joshua Quick, who stopped the gunman in the shooting at the Tallahassee yoga studio.