After a year of increasing gun violence and in the wake of recent announcements by President Biden, the Alliance’s 9th annual luncheon celebrated Washington’s leadership and reflected the urgent need for continued action    

SEATTLE, WA – Hundreds of Washingtonians gathered virtually today for the Alliance for Gun Responsibility’s 9th annual and 2nd virtual luncheon, We The People, to commit to continued action to address the gun violence epidemic. The event came on the heels of a month full of tragic, high-profile shootings and just a few weeks after President Biden announced historic executive actions on gun safety. 

The program explored the impact of the pandemic, racial reckoning, election, and insurrection on the gun violence epidemic. It was hosted by Seattle writer and speaker Ijeoma Oluo. Keynote speakers were Senator Patty Murray and March for Our Lives Co-Founder David Hogg. The full event can be viewed here. 

“We have accomplished more in the eight years since the Alliance was founded than we could have imagined,” said Renée Hopkins, Alliance for Gun Responsibility CEO. “Our success is reflected not only in the fact that gun responsibility champions control the Washington state legislature, Congress, and the White House, but also in President Biden’s recent executive actions, which call for many gun safety policies already in place in Washington state. 

But the last year has made it clear that we have so much work left to do. The pandemic exposed and exacerbated existing risks of gun violence. At the same time, gun sales soared, reaching record highs month after month. The effects of these cascading crises will be felt for years to come. Thankfully, these past months have also made it more clear how incredibly fortunate we are to have such an engaged and supportive community dedicated to ending gun violence. With their help, we will continue fighting for a safer, more just future.”  

As Washington’s legislative session winds down, the Alliance is celebrating the passage of eight bills on our legislative agenda: HB 1078, restoring voting rights; HB 1320, modernizing and streamlining Washington’s protection order process; And a suite of vital police accountability measures—HB 1054, HB 1089, HB 1267, HB 1310, SB 5051, and SB 5259. We are also hopeful that lawmakers will pass SB 5038, which rejects armed intimidation by placing commonsense limits on open carry at the state capitol and public demonstrations. 

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