Black Women's Agenda Announces Initiative Supporting Gun Control Legislation

Organization to Launch "For the Love of Families" Initiative Encouraging Millions of Women to Make Their Voices Heard on Reducing Gun Violence

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics indicating that in 2010 guns took the lives of over 31,000 Americans, the equivalent of more than three deaths an hour and 85 deaths a day, The Black Women's Agenda (BWA) Inc. lent its support to the campaign for tougher gun control legislation today by announcing the "For the Love of Families" initiative.

As an organization dedicated to securing, advancing and protecting the rights and well-being of Black women and their families, BWA backs a ban on the sale and production of assault weapons and gun magazines with more than ten rounds. It also supports President Obama's proposal calling for background checks designed to prevent criminals and people suffering from mental illness from purchasing guns.

"To protect our children and all American families, we need action," BWA President Gwainevere Catchings Hess insisted. On February 14 ^th – Valentine's Day – The Black Women's Agenda will kick off the "For the Love of Families" initiative, encouraging millions of women -- participating sororities, civic and faith-based groups -- to call or email the National Rifle Association to tell the organization that there is still time to step up and play a constructive role in promoting gun safety. BWA will also urge its members to campaign against gun violence by contacting their elected officials to advocate for the passage of gun control legislation.

"In 2009, Black males ages 15-19 were eight times as likely as White males the same age and 2.5 as likely as their Hispanic peers to be killed in a gun homicide,[1]" said Hess. "As devastating as that statistic is to our organization and its membership, this is not just a Black issue. In 2008 and 2009, the number of preschoolers killed by guns was nearly double the number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty[2]. Clearly, the time to simply talk about gun control has past."

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