Sen. Tim Kaine has organized an “action planning meeting” in Arlington with gun violence advocates, victims’ families and faith leaders, the day before gun violence prevention marches are scheduled nationwide.
The event will be held at George Mason University’s Founders Hall on Friday (March 23) at 1 p.m. Per a press release, meeting attendees will “talk about the work they are doing in the community to promote safety reforms that make communities safer.”
The senator, according to the release, “is optimistic that the activism of students and parents who have spoken out all over the country has changed the dynamic of the gun violence prevention debate and could finally spur action in Congress.
Kaine’s event is scheduled a day before the national March For Our Lives anti-gun-violence rally on Saturday, March 24. Arlington Democrats are planning a weekend of events around it.
Among the events is a “Town Hall for Action on Commonsense Gun Safety Measures” held by the Arlington County Democratic Committee. It is scheduled to take place on Sunday, the day after the rally, at Faith Lutheran Church (3313 Arlington Boulevard) from 2-4 p.m.
Virginia Del. Chris Hurst (D-12) will be the keynote speaker, discussing his personal gun violence story.
The following speakers will also attend the town hall and “offer unique perspectives on the issue of gun violence and concrete action steps,” per a Facebook event listing.
- Beth Arthur, Arlington Sheriff’s Office
- Kris Brown, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
- Karina de Leede, Arlington Student Activists
- Chloe Fugel, Arlington Student Activists
- Josh Horwitz, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
- Celia Slater, Moms Demand Action Arlington
- Yasmine Taeb, Alumnus of Stoneman Douglas High School and current DNC member
- Tannia Talento, Arlington School Board
Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe will be leading Arlington Democrats in the march on Saturday, starting on the Arlington side of the Memorial Bridge at 10:30 a.m., according to a press release from state Sen. Adam Ebbin’s office.