Madison: “Wear Orange Day” Event Unites Community in Fight Against Gun Violence
Wisconsin Eagle/10339845

~ As the weekend approaches, the city of Madison and Dane County are gearing up for Wear Orange Day, an annual event that aims to raise awareness and call for an end to gun violence. The Violence Prevention Unit at Public Health Madison & Dane County is organizing the event, which will take place on Saturday, June 6 at Centro Hispano.

According to Director Janel Heinrich, gun violence is a serious and urgent threat to public health and safety. In Dane County alone, there is approximately one death every 10 days due to gun violence, whether it be through suicides, accidents, or homicides. Heinrich emphasizes that these deaths are preventable and it is our responsibility as a community to practice safe gun ownership.

The Wear Orange movement was born in 2013 after the tragic death of Hadiya Pendleton. The 15-year-old girl was shot and killed by a Chicago man while hanging out with friends at a park. Since then, communities across the country have come together every June to wear orange and raise awareness about the issue of gun violence.

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In a show of support for this cause, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and County Executive Melissa Agard have issued joint proclamations declaring Saturday, June 6 as Gun Violence Awareness Day in Madison and Dane County. Mayor Rhodes-Conway states that while progress has been made in reducing violent crimes in the city since 2025, there is still work to be done. She urges community members to get involved by wearing orange to honor survivors of violence, practicing safe storage of firearms, and attending events to meet their neighbors.

Both officials stress the importance of community action in creating and maintaining public safety. This starts with responsible gun ownership in the home by securing firearms with trigger locks or gun safes to prevent them from ending up in the wrong hands.

County Executive Agard echoes this sentiment by stating that everyone deserves to feel safe in their community - whether it be at home, in schools, or in public spaces. She sees Wear Orange Day as an opportunity to honor the lives lost to gun violence and take the first step towards action together.

The Wear Orange Day event will take place from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at Centro Hispano on Saturday, June 6. Media inquiries can be directed to phmedia@publichealthmdc.com and more information can be found at publichealthmdc.com/WearOrange. Let's come together as a community to raise awareness and work towards a safer future for all.

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