Gun Violence Response Statement by the Eastside Pathways Racial Equity Council
The Eastside Pathways Partnership unites around common strategies and goals to maximize every child’s opportunity to thrive. Protecting the life, health and welfare of all children is essential for their thrival. However, gun violence has become all too present in our daily lives. It is a public health issue that especially threatens and impacts children, the elderly and the most vulnerable communities. No one is exempt.
Eastside Pathways, as a collective body, has pledged to address racial equity, but how can we move forward without addressing one of the highest issues impacting the lives of Black, Hispanic, Latina/o/e, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American and White peoples? A significant part of Eastside Pathways role is to serve as guardians for our children and families. Eastside Pathways resists apathetic thinking and non-acting leadership. We must therefore continue to raise our voices to community leaders, elected officials and to the media calling for the elimination of gun violence.
We call on every Eastside Pathways partner agency to join in action. We call on all East King County elected officials to enact common sense, gun safety measures that protect our most vulnerable populations from hate and bias and be leaders with us to resolve a deadly issue that shames and impacts us all.