The Friends Ending Gun Violence Collaborative (FEGV) hosted a call over Zoom, providing space for reflection, sharing, and planning. The meeting opened with worship, followed by a round of introductions. The co-clerk of the collaborative spoke about the group’s connection to the Quaker peace testimony and how this work fits within a faith-led approach to community care.
Participants discussed Heeding God’s Call, an organization that FEGV has partnered with in the past, and outlined Memorial to the Lost, a visual tool for representation and education about the harm done to our communities because of gun violence. This memorial includes rows of shirts placed on meeting lawns, each shirt displaying the name, date, and age of someone lost to gun violence. One Friend shared that when their meeting displayed the memorial with clear signage, it encouraged people to ask questions and engage.
As the event continued, a Friend on the call from New York Yearly Meeting described other creative responses. They shared how one meeting they facilitated a workshop with—part of New England Yearly Meeting—made hundreds of prayer flags, each representing a person killed in a single week. The Friend also spoke about involvement in two types of gun buyback programs: one where collected firearms were transformed into gardening tools, and another where individuals received grocery store gift cards in exchange for turning in a gun.
A Friend from South Jersey talked about starting new efforts in areas where gun violence is often overlooked. Even though laws are stricter in that region, the Friend noted that there is still a need for visibility and ongoing conversations.
The next opportunity highlighted was CeaseFirePA’s advocacy day in Harrisburg. Participants encouraged Friends to take part, noting that the event includes training and an opportunity to meet with lawmakers. Friends also learned about Souls Shots, a project that pairs artists with families affected by gun violence.
There are many ways to participate with The Friends Ending Gun Violence Collaborative. Please contact FEGVClerk@PYM.org for more information.
