Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in the U.S., killing more than 39,000 people and causing nearly 85,000 injuries each year. In 2020, gun-related injuries rose above car crashes to become the #1 cause of death among children and teens in our country. Just a few weeks ago, a 19-year-old former student at St. Louis’ Central Visual and Performing Arts High School used an AR-15-style rifle and more than 600 rounds of ammunition to kill a student and teacher and injure several others.

These deaths are preventable.

For our December Lunch and Learn, we are excited to welcome Moms Demand Action’s Missouri State Communications Lead and NCJWSTL board member Gail Wechsler, who is an expert on legislative advocacy and school safety as pertaining to gun violence. Every time there is a school shooting, we all seem to be at a loss about what to do. Gail will help guide us in how to better make an impact.