June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month
The New Mexico Public and Higher Education Departments join a national effort raising awareness about the dangers of gun violence and share information aimed at preventing tragedies in schools, homes, and communities during National Gun Violence Awareness Month.
Staff at the Public Education Department are wearing orange today in solidarity with advocates nationwide working to end gun violence. Every year in the United States, 19,000 children and teens are shot and killed or wounded and approximately 3 million are exposed to gun violence. Over 455 New Mexicans die each year by firearm or about one person every 20 hours.
The departments join Gov. Lujan Grisham, the New Mexico Department of Health, and other state agencies participating in the month-long campaign to recognize survivors of gun violence and advocate for safer communities and schools throughout the state.
"An absolutely critical measure of a successful environment for education is a baseline of safety,” said Public Education Secretary Arsenio Romero “We are committed to doing everything in our power to make sure that every child that comes to school, returns home safely.”
“Too many New Mexicans suffer from the devastating impacts of preventable gun violence, which is now tragically the leading cause of death for children and young people,” said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez. “I support Gov. Lujan Grisham’s common-sense firearm policies and urge every student, parent, educator and every New Mexican to join in creating safer schools, campuses and communities by adopting gun-safe practices and keeping learning spaces gun free.”
Since 2020, deaths by firearm have surpassed car accidents, illness, and accidents as the leading cause of death among children ages 1-19, with an average of 33 New Mexico children dying by guns each year.
Gov. Lujan Grisham signed two bipartisan measures this year designed to prevent unlawful access and use of firearms by minors and third parties. House Bill 9 created the crime of negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor, with harsher penalties for adults who make firearms available to minors resulting in great bodily harm or death. House Bill 306 makes the unlawful purchase or transfer of a firearm to another a fourth-degree felony.
New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence has partnered with the State of New Mexico and schools statewide to work toward reducing firearm injury and death through public health, education, advocacy, and public awareness. PED and HED are honored to partner with New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence in empowering children in New Mexico to get involved in advocating for gun safety.
“New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence has been working with youth in schools for ten years. Too often, we see how scared, sad and confused our children are when it comes to gun violence in their lives,” said Miranda Viscoli, Co-president of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence When we engage with youth on this issue, we create a much-needed space for discussion and action, while sending them a clear message that we care about their safety and well-being.”
New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence empowers students to become gun safety advocates. They work with students throughout New Mexico on the Student Pledge Against Gun Violence, a national program that honors the role that young people, through their own decisions, can play in reducing gun violence.
Since the program began working with Santa Fe Public Schools, there has been a 54 percent drop in students bringing weapons to school (Source: YouthRisk.org). They have worked with hundreds of students in New Mexico and 1000s have signed the Pledge. The youth-driven program is art-based, with NMPGV sponsoring all supplies and working with students in their art classes, at lunch or after school.
The New Mexico Department of Health is also partnering with New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence to distribute free gun locks. People interested in receiving a gun lock at no charge can call (323) 394-1131 or email info@newmexicanstopreventgunviolence.org.