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My Best Friend Died By Firearm Suicide; Here’s Why I Advocate for Stronger Gun Safety Laws
Withjust one month until election day, it’s time for American voters to come together and elect leaders who will fight to protect our communities from gun violence.
Oct 05, 2024
Warning: This piece discusses suicide, gun violence, and mental health. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org/chat to chat with a counselor from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Last year, I received a text that would change my life forever. I was told that my close friend, Jordan, had died by firearm suicide. Calls from classmates came crashing in and emails from my school flooded my inbox. A wave of shock rushed over me and it felt like time had frozen, even as I watched the world continue on.
My school held an assembly to honor Jordan’s memory, but it all became a blur between the tears, hugs, tissues, and funeral.
Jordan holds a special place in my heart. Not only because we were on the same lacrosse team, but because she was a shining light and a good friend. She was always there for me when I needed her, but little did I know Jordan was battling a thunderstorm on the inside.
Amidst all my grief, there was a part of me that was also angry because politicians sent their condolences, but no action was taken. I wanted something to change.
There are thousands of students and young people just like me across the country who are committed to creating a future free from gun violence.
The tragedy of this story isn’t just about Jordan; it’s the fact that her story is not unique. When there are over 3,000 young people who die by gun suicide in an average year, something has to change. Stronger gun safety measures, like secure storage requirements, in our country can save lives and prevent more friends and families from feeling the pain I’ve felt.
Firearm suicide has a deadly and devastating impact on my generation. Over the past decade, gun suicide rates for young people have increased faster than any other age group, reaching a near-record high. When it comes to attempted suicide, guns are especially deadly. We have to do more to reduce easy access to guns in a moment of crisis since the majority of people who survive a suicide attempt don’t go on to attempt again.
Those statistics should be a wake-up call for every gun owner, politician, and person in the United States on why it’s so important to prevent firearm access for someone contemplating suicide. That’s where laws like secure storage requirements come in.
Secure storage is the practice of gun owners making their homes and communities safer by storing their guns securely. This means storing a firearm unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition. Research shows that most firearm suicides attempted by youth occur at home, and households that securely store guns and ammunition reduce this risk by 78% comapared to those that don’t.
There is a direct correlation between securely storing a gun at home and saving a life from firearm suicide. That’s why we need lawmakers at every level of government to increase awareness around secure storage practices and pass laws that require gun owners to store their guns securely.
Withjust one month until election day, it’s time for American voters to come together and elect leaders who will fight to protect our communities from gun violence. From electing Vice President Harris and Governor Walz at the top of the ticket to voting for gun sense candidates down ballot, these are the candidates that are fighting to end gun violence while the other side is doing absolutely nothing.
Even in the face of tragedy, I still have hope. Firearm suicide, just like all forms of gun violence, is preventable.
After the loss of my best friend, I felt devastated and I wanted to find a community that shared my similar experiences. I soon discovered Students Demand Action, the nation's largest youth-led gun prevention group, and started a chapter at my school. Since then, I have been actively involved in fighting for gun violence prevention in California, and I’m just getting started.
We should all be aware of the warning signs and how to help when someone is in crisis. Whether it’s having a private conversation to let someone know you’re there for them or sharing mental health resources, that one step could save a life.
There are thousands of students and young people just like me across the country who are committed to creating a future free from gun violence. Guns are the leading cause of death for my generation, meaning youth firearm suicide is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. When guns are accessible to anyone, anywhere, at any time—no one is safe.
But even in the face of tragedy, I still have hope. Firearm suicide, just like all forms of gun violence, is preventable. Joining Students Demand Action allowed me to turn my pain into purpose and together, we can end America’s gun violence epidemic by creating a future for our generation that’s free from gun violence.Keep ReadingShow Less
Student Researchers Expose Fossil Fuel Ties at US Universities
"It's time for our universities to become real climate leaders," said one organizer, "and cut ties with the fossil fuel industry once and for all."
Sep 19, 2024
Students at universities and colleges across the U.S. have long demanded that their schools cut ties with the fossil fuel industry as planetary heating has increasingly been linked to extreme weather and pollution-causing emissions have continued.
New findings released by student researchers with the Campus Climate Network on Wednesday, said the organization, "add more detail and evidence to what these students have already been campaigning for—fossil fuel funding has no place in universities' climate research."
The students spoke at a virtual press conference titled "Big Oil's Stain on Our Universities," presenting research compiled in six reports regarding fossil fuel industry ties at Columbia University, Princeton University, Cornell University, American University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and University of California San Diego.
The six institutions have collectively received more than $108 million in direct funding to the fossil fuel industry, published more than 1,500 academic articles and papers funded by oil giants, and count 10 people affiliated with the industry among the members of their university governance boards, according to the research—which follows the first-ever literature review of investigations into Big Oil's links to higher education, published in the peer-reviewed journal WIREs Climate Change earlier this month.
Columbia and Princeton were by far the biggest recipients of fossil fuel money, accepting more than $43 million each from companies and their foundations.
Sunrise Columbia, the Sunrise Movement's chapter at the university, published a report presented at Wednesday's press conference, detailing how Hess Corporation—an oil and gas company acquired by Chevron—was the largest fossil fuel donor to the prestigious university. The company contributed more than $15 million to Columbia from 2005-24.
Koch Family Foundations, "which have spent hundreds of millions to finance groups promoting climate denial," and liquefied natural gas (LNG) firm Cheniere Energy were also major contributors.
Fossil fuel money at Columbia has gone toward funding the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP), the School of International and Public Affairs, and the university's Climate School—which "powers innovative research in the science, consequences, and human dimensions of climate change."
"CGEP, the Climate School, and Columbia repeatedly claim to produce unbiased, reputable research to advance climate solutions. Many of our findings directly contradict these missions."
The Climate School has received $741,967 from fossil fuel giants since it was established in 2020.
"CGEP, the Climate School, and Columbia repeatedly claim to produce unbiased, reputable research to advance climate solutions," reads the report. "Many of our findings directly contradict these missions—from Columbia being named explicitly by a BP [vice president] as essential for their outreach and influence to being specifically mentioned as a producer of biased research, Columbia has fallen short," said Sunrise Columbia.
At Princeton, student researchers wrote that the university "legitimizes and financially supports the fossil fuel industry," continuing to invest "approximately $700 million in privately held fossil fuel companies without justification," even after divesting its endowment of fossil fuel holdings worth $1 billion.
The report notes that the school's New Jersey campus "has not been spared" from extreme weather that's growing more frequent as the planet gets hotter and scientists warn that limiting planetary heating to 1.5°C is getting less likely.
"Last summer, our campus was shrouded by smoke from incinerated Quebecois pine trees, smoke that turned the sky a burning orange. Outdoor workers on and off campus were hit hardest," wrote the students. "Floods nearby destroyed transport infrastructure and made it harder for our community members to come to campus to work or to learn. Scorching temperatures at the start of each fall semester make it difficult to think."
But while students, faculty, and staff have suffered the effects of fossil fuel extraction, major fossil fuel companies including BP, Exxon, Shell, and TotalEnergies have spent more than $43 million on research at Princeton, funding papers containing "explicit applications for continued or expanded fossil fuel use."
At the virtual press conference on Wednesday, Campus Climate Network research manager Maddie Young said the articles detailed in the six reports focus primarily on methods for fossil fuel extraction, methods and "benefits" of "false solutions" like carbon capture, and extending and upholding "the social license of the fossil fuel industry to operate."
"So these might be articles that are connected to healthcare or health research and promote the image of corporate social responsibility connected to the fossil fuel industry," said Young, "and allow them to continue to leverage these relationships to universities and to greenwash their own image and present themselves as socially responsible."
The student researchers recommended that Princeton prohibit all research funding from the industry and complete divestment from all oil, gas, and coal companies, as well as cut ties with Petrotiger, a fossil fuel company that Princeton "appears to own," having earned nearly $140 million in the last 10 years in investment income and direct contributions.
"These recommendations are all within Princeton's power to achieve," said the student researchers. "The university must act upon these items with the urgency the climate crisis demands."
Young, who is also a student organizer at American University, said the student-authored reports are "only the beginning—we have a strong, national student movement that will continue to expose and cut the ties with Big Oil."
“It's time for our universities to become real climate leaders," said Young, "and cut ties with the fossil fuel industry once and for all."
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Parents and Children Are Fighting Back—And Winning for LGBTQ+ Rights
Fear-mongering, intolerance, and hate fail when we stand united against them.
Jul 05, 2024
We have the power to reshape laws, stop harmful agendas, and change the narrative to protect our children and allow them to learn and grow in healthy communities. Just last month, we celebrated LGBTQ+ identity and the strides we've made over many years so everyone can have the opportunity to live openly and authentically. This year is especially crucial to protect that progress because of the ongoing attacks on LGBTQ+ children and families happening in our schools and communities. The good news is that the powerful resistance led by parents, advocates, and young people is now turning the tide.
Across the nation, select politicians are starting to retreat from using anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric to evoke fear and sow divisions. This shift in momentum didn't happen by accident; it’s a testament to the strength and commitment of parents and young people standing up for the kind of inclusive community they want to live in. Fear-mongering fails when we stand united against it.
As a parent and ally, I am deeply troubled by the attacks on trans families and LGBTQ+ individuals. They are not just political—they are personal. They affect our neighbors, our friends, and most of all, children. Our country has witnessed a concerning rise in the introduction and passage of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. In 2019, 100 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community were introduced. Last year, that number rose to 600 bills against the transgender community alone, 87 of which passed. This year over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced so far and 34 have passed, harming more young people and their families every day.
It’s important to spotlight these initial wins, build on this momentum, and redouble our commitment to the fight for freedom for all.
These legislative efforts, often disguised as religious or cultural conservatism, perpetuate stigma and discrimination, threatening the safety, well-being, and livelihoods of LGBTQ+ people. Transgender individuals, in particular, face heightened risks of harassment, violence, and exclusion in public spaces and institutions. Moreover, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation harms LGBTQ+ youth by reinforcing feelings of shame, isolation, and unworthiness, and increases the risk of mental health issues, particularly suicidal tendencies.
Despite the formidable challenges, young people, parents and allies have worked together to resist and challenge discriminatory laws. Grassroots advocacy efforts and legal challenges are successfully defeating many of the laws that have been introduced this year and stopping the introduction of new ones.
For example, in Georgia, parents, faith leaders, educators and health care providers spoke out and overcame daunting political odds to defeat nearly 20 anti-LGBTQ+ bills. In West Virginia, advocates successfully opposed over 20 bills. In Kentucky, moderate Republicans and faith leaders joined forces to reject harmful legislation and protect local nondiscrimination ordinances. These victories highlight the power of community action, grassroots mobilization, and shared values.
Florida is worth highlighting to understand this trend. Equality Florida has been on the frontline, bearing the brunt of every kind of attack and creating a roadmap for effective resistance. This session, they defeated 21 of the 22 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced. While they are the state’s LGBTQ civil rights group, their impact has been felt across the country. By rebranding Florida’s bill HB 1557 as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, they spotlighted its intent to censor LGBTQ+ students, intimidate teachers, and erase families. This slogan became a national call to action.
Uplifting the voices of parents has been vital to Equality Florida’s efforts. Parents who never thought of themselves as activists are showing up to confront lies about their families at school board meetings and in the legislature. They have fought against book bans, censorship of what children can learn, and the denial of life-saving healthcare decisions for their kids.
While Florida is the frontline, we must recognize this is a national fight. We must stand united against these cynical political attacks to protect our democratic values of equality and justice for all.
Even as we celebrate these victories, we need to recognize that there are extremist groups in many states that have vowed to continue their unholy crusade against the LGBTQ+ community. They are organized and backed by think tanks, political consultants, and deep-pocketed funders willing to bankroll their attacks. At the end of the day, protecting LGBTQ+ people from harm is a shared responsibility—we can all learn from the parents, young people, and their communities leading the charge to safeguard these protections. As we approach the ballot box in November, it's important to consider the impact of our choices on the rights and well-being of all members of our community.
It’s important to spotlight these initial wins, build on this momentum, and redouble our commitment to the fight for freedom for all. In the years ahead, I hope we see the impact of common-sense legislation that makes it easier for all of our youth and families to feel safe and supported. I am optimistic about our future, knowing that parents and allies will continue to fight for what is right. And, we can’t do it alone. Please join with your powerful voice and vote.
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