Mayor and council proclaim June 2 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day in Birmingham

Mayor Randall L. Woodfin and the Birmingham City Council issued a proclamation on June 3 recognizing June 2 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day and urging residents to honor victims and support local prevention efforts.

During the proclamation reading, the mayor cited national statistics included in the proclamation text and said Birmingham’s response is a “multilayered approach grounded in partnerships with law enforcement, grassroots organizations, public health experts, survivors, and community stakeholders.” He encouraged residents to “wear orange” in solidarity and to support local violence-prevention programs.

Uche Bean, identified in the meeting as director of community safety initiatives, thanked the council for honoring survivors and frontline violence-prevention workers. Councilor Tanya Tate, speaking for the Public Safety Committee, thanked the mayor for city investments in violence-reduction work and mentioned community partners including the Fender Alumni Association and local groups described as “violent interrupters.”

Council members and the mayor encouraged residents to attend a series of Wear Orange events and community cleanups and to support local organizations providing services to survivors.

Ending: The proclamation formalizes a symbolic city recognition tied to local programming and sets out a weekend of community awareness activities; officials urged continued community engagement and support for violence-prevention partners.