Sarah Knizhnik, Director of Community Engagement, Newtown Action Alliance
Yeena Yoo, Elmhurst Moms Demand Action
October’s Progressives for Change meeting welcomes Sara Knizhnik of the Newtown Action Alliance and Yeena Yoo of Elmhurst’s Moms Demand Action. Newtown Action Alliance is a national grassroots organization formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary school shootings. Their mission is to achieve the steady and continuous reduction of gun violence through legislative and cultural changes.

According to Sara Knizhnik, we have the best chance in almost 30 years to advance federal gun safety legislation. Sara will discuss several initiatives currently being considered in Congress, paying particular attention to the effort to get—for the first time in our nation’s history—significant federal funding for holistic, evidence-based community violence intervention and prevention.

Moms Demand Action is a grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from firearms violence. Their work focuses on the legislative, electoral and cultural initiatives that will, over time, save the most lives. This local group has more than 700 supporters made up of mothers and others who care about gun violence prevention. Yeena will present gun violence myths and statistics from Illinois and will be joined by a representative from Be SMART to address safe gun storage.