On Sunday, the Alliance joined March for Our Lives Seattle, Brady Campaign, Washington CeaseFire, Team Enough, and Grandmothers Against Gun Violence to host United We Stand, an event to bring community members together to fight for gun violence prevention.

See KOMO’s coverage of the event.

We were joined by two special guests: activist, author, and survivor of the Emanuel AME shooting, Rev. Sharon Risher, and March for Our Lives board member and Parkland survivor, Tyah-Amoy Roberts.

Before the event, Tyah held a forum for students concerned about gun violence prevention and fighting for change. Rev. Risher also signed copies of her new book, For Such a Time Such as This.

Rev. Risher and Tyah-Amoy shared their stories of surviving unthinkable tragedies and their individual paths to activism. We also heard from Washington State Senator David Frockt, who has championed gun violence prevention in Olympia and Rabbi Avi Fine of Temple De Hirsch Sinai who spoke of the moral need to fight against hate and gun violence.

The speaking program was followed by a screening of the documentary Emanuel, which tells the story of the 2015 hate-fueled shooting at Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina when a man opened fire at a bible study killing nine.

After the film, Lilah Amon Lucas, Executive Director of March for Our Lives Seattle moderated a Q and A session with Rev. Risher, Tyah, and Sen. Frockt.

It was a day of remembrance and a day of recommitting to action. In her remarks, Rev. Risher summed it up well, “We have to be the ones to continue this fight and I know that there are times when we are tired and we are weary but we are people of good strength.”

Here’s to continuing the fight.

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— Sean Kent is the Graphic Designer for the Alliance for Gun Responsibility.