Annual Community Forum
This year marks the 10th Community Forum with its theme of Gun Safety: Generations Standing Together. GGS believes people of all ages have the right to feel safe from gun violence and is committed to working across generations to achieve that goal.
Brandon Wolf, a 34-year-old survivor of the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, FL, will be the keynote speaker on Monday October 9, 2023. He joins an impressive list of nationally-known speakers who have shared their stories and visions for gun safety at previous Forums.
Speakers have included Leonard Pitts, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist; Nicole Hockley, founder of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of 6-year-old son Dylan, a Sandy Hook victim, and Candace Lightner, founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). During the pandemic, Forums were virtual and focused on strategies to curb this ongoing crisis.
We’re grateful to our organization and individual partners who have co-sponsored these annual Forums.
2022 – ADVOCACY: The time is NOW!
With the public at a tipping point in its concern about gun violence, the Forum focused on ways to successfully advocate for change. Keynote speaker was Connecticut attorney Josh Koskoff who won a landmark $73 million settlement from Remington for nine Sandy Hook families who sued the manufacturer of the AK-15 assault rifle used in the mass shooting.
The link to this Forum is here
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2021 – Gun Violence. Strategies to Curb This Public Health Epidemic
Our second virtual Forum featured keynote speaker Megan Ranney, MD, MPH, a nationally recognized epidemiologist and advocate for gun violence prevention. She was joined by local community leaders explaining their strategies to improve homelessness, unemployment, early childhood education and living environments. Over 185 people attended via Zoom.
The link to this Forum is here
Passcode: FZiE20D$
2020 – Gun Violence. Going Beyond Thoughts and Prayers
Our first ever virtual Forum featured leaders in the Faith, Business and Government communities sharing their current actions and plans for the future. More than 225 people attended this Zoom webinar.
The link to this Forum is here
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2019 – Gun Violence. Insights From Both Ends of the Gun
The Forum featured keynote speakers Azim Khamisa and Ples Felix and was attended by more than 280 people.
2018 – Gun Violence. Changing the Conversation
The Forum was attended by 250 participants and featured keynote speaker Candace Lightner, founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
2017 – Gun Violence. Keeping Our Children Safe
The Forum was attended by over 200 participants and featured keynote speaker is Nicole Hockley, mother of Dylan Hockley, who was killed at Sandy Hook.
2016 – Gun Violence. The Culture of Fear
For the first time, the Forum featured a nationally known keynote speaker: Leonard Pitts, Pulitzer Prize winning columnist syndicated in newspapers across the country including the Kansas City Star. The Forum was attended by more than 190 people.
2015 – Gun Violence. A public health issue
Rex Archer, M.D., Director of the Kansas City Department of Health was the keynote speaker. He was one of the earliest proponents of referring to gun violence as a public health issue. The Forum was attended by 165+ people.
2014 – Gun Violence. We need to understand it
Missouri State Representative, Stacey Newman, of St. Louis and Kansas City Mayor Sly James spoke. Both viewed this as a crucial step to address gun violence before many others understood its importance. This first Forum was attended by 140 people.