Ayanna Pressley: Now Is the Time for Equitable Outrage, Policy, and Change
I rise on behalf of the community orgs and advocates who selflessly retrigger their own trauma to stand at the frontlines of justice and movement building.
Congresswoman Pressley’s testimony as prepared for delivery
I rise on behalf of the mothers, fathers, brothers, and daughters ─ the classmates and coworkers ─ the surviving family and community members. All of whom have been robbed of loved ones due to senseless acts of gun violence.
I rise on behalf of the mamas with crushed souls and broken hearts.
I rise on behalf of the brothers with deeps wounds and invisible scars.
I rise on behalf of the young boys and girls, saddened and scared because they attend more funerals than graduation parties.
I rise on behalf of the community orgs and advocates who selflessly retrigger their own trauma to stand at the frontlines of justice and movement building.
I rise on behalf of districts like mine, the Massachusetts 7th, that are weighed down by systemic inequities, generational poverty, and cycles of violence.
Today, in partnership with organizers, advocates, and survivors, I am calling for a National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month ─ to amplify the voices of families and communities severely impacted by gun violence, to center their stories, their struggles, their truth, and build peace.
Already this year, sixteen families across the Massachusetts 7th have been robbed of their loved ones.
Sixteen.
I rise in remembrance of them and in recognition of those they’ve left behind.
Emmanuel Molin, 32. Survived by his two sons, mother, father and five siblings.
Godfrey Jenkins Hall, 28. Survived by his father, brother, and aunt.
Carl Reynolds, 28. Survived by his mother, father, siblings, and daughter.
Gary Brown, 34. Survived by his son and sister.
Jeudy Romero (Ju-dy Ro-me-ro), 29. Survived by his five children, fiance, father, and siblings.
Juan Morales, 32. Survived by his three children.
Kasim Kahrim (Ka-seem Kah-rim), 36. Survived by his sister, aunts, and uncles.
Kendric Price, 32. Survived by his mother, grandmother, brothers, and god children.
Haki Sanders, 33. Survived by his mother.
Eleanor Maloney, 74. Survived by three daughters and a son, 6 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and four siblings.
Michael Dukes, 53. Survived by his mother, father, five children, one grandson, sister, and dear friends.
Kevin Boyd, 53. Survived by his wife, two sons, grandchildren, and brother.
Kevin Brewington, 33. Survived by his mother and father, son, brothers, and sisters.
Donell Davis, 24. Survived by his mother, brothers and sister.
Carl Brown, 43. Survived by his child.
Luckinson Oruma (Luck-in-sen O-ru-ma), 60. Survived by his wife and five children.
As we head into this week, let us also remember the 49 people whose lives were stolen three years ago at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando — the fear and trauma of those who survived and the families and loved ones left behind.
May we remember them.
May we speak up for them.
May we fight to ensure that there is no one else like them.
Long gone are the days of thoughts and prayers.
Now is the time for policy and change.
It is up to Congress to do what is right — fight for our children, communities, and all survivors impacted by gun violence. Enough is enough.
Thank you. I yield back.
