Moms Demand Action Mother's Day Walk - Saturday, May 11th with Senator Clark

MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA LAUNCHES MOTHER’S DAY CAMPAIGN HONORING GUN VIOLENCE VICTIMS Grassroots Movement Creates Bill of Rights for American Mothers; Sponsors Greater Boston Area Walk Around Jamaica Pond Featuring Senator Katherine Clark 

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America this week launched its Mother’s Day campaign, which is focused on honoring gun violence victims and their families. The campaign includes a series of videos featuring victims’ thoughts on Mother’s Day, as well as the release of a Mother’s Bill of Rights, laying out the basic rights moms want and need to protect their kids from gun violence. 
Moms Demand Action is partnering with the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) to release a series of videos featuring the mothers of gun violence victims. Participants in the videos, which will launch during the first two weeks of May, include Rep. Carolyn McCarthy and Cleopatra Cowley (mother of Chicago teen and shooting victim Hadiya Pendleton), and others who have been affected by gun violence, including Moms Demand Action Greater Boston Area Chapter Co-Leader, Dawn Tringas: “When I was 17 years old I had a gun held to my head. I never understood the odds I beat when I survived that moment. Over 80 Americans are killed by guns each day in America. 8 of those Americans are children.” 
The “Mother’s Bill of Rights” created by Moms Demand Action defines the inalienable right of American mothers to protect their children from harm. The Mother’s Bill of Rights begins: “We have the right to know our children are safe from gun violence, from the moment they leave our arms in the morning until they return home later in the day. But the rights of American mothers are under attack by criminals, the gun lobby, and legislators who are unable to stand up for common-sense gun reforms. The right of mothers to protect our children shall not be infringed.” 
This Mother’s Bill of Rights, available in English and Spanish, will be read at local events across the country sponsored by Moms Demand Action, from Boston, to Los Angeles to the Bronx.  

Members of the Greater Boston Area Chapter of Moms Demand Action will gather at the Jamaica Pond Bandstand at 3:30pm on Saturday, May 11th. Senator Katherine Clark, representing Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and Winchester, will join the Greater Boston Area Co-Leaders on a walk around Jamaica Pond. "I am honored to join this group as we come together to remember the children killed by gun violence in our communities and across this nation.  As a mother of three sons, I cannot bring myself to imagine the heartbreak that their parents and families carry with them on Mother's Day and every day," said Senator Katherine Clark. "Our best hope is to work together to develop, implement and demand sensible gun laws now.  In so doing, we honor the memory of those lost and help to create a world worthy of all our children." 
As part of the Mother’s Day campaign, Moms Demand Action is encouraging moms to create eight paper flowers on behalf of the eight children shot and killed in America every day. The paper flowers will be sent electronically and delivered in-person to members of Congress, asking legislators, “You can have our flowers this Mother’s Day, give us our rights,” along with a copy of the Mother’s Bill of Rights. 
"In a country where eight children are shot and killed every day, it is imperative that our leaders hear directly and frequently from American mothers," said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. "Congress continues to turn its back on common-sense gun laws that would make our children and families safer. But American moms will not be intimidated by powerful gun industry lobby groups. We will not wait for one more horrific mass shooting of our children for legislators to wake up and finally pass needed laws that will save children’s lives.” 
Flower-making instructions can be found at http://momsdemandaction.org/mothers-day/. Photos should be emailed tophotos@momsdemandaction.org, or Tweet and Instagram the photos using the hashtags #momsrights and #momsdemandaction. 
 
About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in AmericaMuch like Mothers Against Drunk Driving was created to change laws regarding drunk driving, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (www.momsdemandaction.org) was created to build support for common-sense gun legislation. The nonpartisan grassroots movement of American mothers is demanding new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. In just four months, the organization has tens of thousands of members with more than 90 chapters across the United States. 
About The Children’s Defense FundThe Children’s Defense Fund Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.