{"id":2718,"date":"2026-06-06T04:07:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T04:07:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=2718"},"modified":"2026-06-06T04:07:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T04:07:56","slug":"tampa-advocates-call-for-change-on-gun-violence-during-wear-orange-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=2718","title":{"rendered":"Tampa advocates call for change on gun violence during Wear Orange Weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"

TAMPA, Fla.<\/strong> – <\/span>Advocates against gun violence in Tampa gathered downtown for Wear Orange Weekend on Friday afternoon.<\/p>

Read more Eagle Lake residents push to save 100-year-old former school building from demolition<\/a><\/p>

The goal is to wear orange to draw attention to gun violence and the harm it does to communities.<\/p>

Nationwide movement\u00a0<\/h2>
<\/div>

The backstory:<\/p>

It started in 2013 when Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed in a park in Chicago. After learning about her death, her friends wore orange, the same color hunters wear for safety, to draw attention to gun violence and her death.<\/p>

It turned into a nationwide movement with Moms Demand Action. The Tampa chapter organized Friday’s event.<\/p>

Tampa gun violence awareness<\/h2>

What they’re saying:<\/p>

“I fight for other people so that they don’t have to wear their children on their shirts,” D’Andra Todd said. “This is what I do now. This is who I am. It’s not what I’d do. It is who I am.”<\/p>

Todd is a leader with Moms Demand Action in Tampa. She found herself here after she lost her son, Edward Sean Aiken, to gun violence seven years ago.<\/p>

“Losing him pushed me to become the advocate,” Todd said.<\/p>

Many at the Tampa event were there advocating for loved ones they lost.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n <\/div>

Tihesha Pritchard lost her son Nathaniel to gun violence three years ago.<\/p>

“I got the call from the coroner’s office that I needed to identify my child,” Pritchard said. “And no parent should ever have to go through that.”<\/p>

Fran Fate joined years ago to support the cause, and then she lost her cousin, Datravion Williams, to gun violence last month.<\/p>

“I joined Moms Demand Action approximately eight years ago as a supporter,” Tate said. “Now I am a card-carrying member of that club and I hate it.”<\/p>

Read more Kyle Busch\u2019s wife opens up after NASCAR legend\u2019s death: \u2018Our hearts are absolutely shattered\u2019<\/a><\/p>

Families demand solutions and action<\/p>

Future violence prevention<\/h2>

Big picture view:<\/p>

This movement wants kids to learn conflict resolution using their words and not weapons.<\/p>

“It’s okay to walk away from an argument. It doesn’t make you weak,” Pritchard said. “It doesn\u2019t mean that you’re not valid. Actually, it takes a bigger person to walk away.”<\/p>

Call for solutions<\/h2>

Dig deeper:<\/p>

Moms Demand Action is calling for change and consequences.<\/p>

“We have got to vote,” Pritchard said. “Yes, this is great, but, you know, power [is] in numbers.”<\/p>

“To all of you that are selling guns at the trunk of your cars, let’s prosecute you,” Tate said.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n <\/div>

“I think that we need more policing because we have too much violence going on in our city right now,” Todd said.”<\/p>

Each person in the movement wants to remember their family member while preventing these tragedies for other families.<\/p>

“He’s not just an African American male,” Pritchard said. “He was my child; he was my baby. And just like any other child, they deserve the chance to grow up.”<\/p>

“Community wake up. It’s me today,” Tate said. “It might be you tomorrow that’s suffering through the loss of a family member to gun violence.”<\/p>

Read more Arkansas sheriff candidate who killed daughter\u2019s accused abuser to not face murder charge<\/a><\/p> <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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