Shoe Collection, Silent March Protest Against Gun Violence Sets Sights On Democratic, Republican National Conventions
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Partnership to Prevent Firearm Violence in conjunction with several local agencies will collect 814 pairs of shoes as part of a national protest against gun violence, June 12 through July 10.
People in Indiana are being asked to contribute a pair of shoes and to personalize them by inserting a signed note, card or photo saying how gun violence affects them and their families. In 1997, 30,000 Americans died from gun related accidents, suicides and homicides. The 814 pairs of shoes reflect the number of gun-related deaths in Indiana.
In a Silent March on the National Republican Convention in Philadelphia on July 29-30, and on the National Democratic Convention in Los Angeles on August 14-18, the shoes collected per state represent the number of gun deaths each year in the United States.
"The Silent March personalizes the human toll taken by guns," said Patricia Lau, director of the Indiana Partnership to Prevent Firearm Violence. "In protest, we collect and display empty shoes to show how many people are killed by guns every year."
The Silent March, established in 1994, is a non-profit grassroots organization. The effort is assisted nationally by a broad spectrum of organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Handgun Control, Inc., Million Mom March, Peace Action, YWCA of the USA, and Unitarian Universalist Church, among many others.
Locally, the Silent March is being supported by the Indiana School of Medicine, Clarian Health Partners (IU, Methodist and Riley hospitals) the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Church Federation, Citizens Concerned About Gun Violence, Gun Responsibility in Every Family Indiana Black Expo, Indiana Commission on the Social Status of Black Males, Indiana State Department of Health, Marion County Commission on Youth, Inc., Marion County Health Department, Marion County Sheriff's Department and Million Mom March participants.
Shoes can be dropped off at the following locations:
Children's Museum of Indianapolis, 3000 N. Meridian St.
Clarian Health Partners Methodist Hospital, Interstate 65 At 21st St.,Indiana University Hospital, 550 University Blvd., Riley Hospital for Children, 702 Barnhill Dr.
Indiana Black Expo, 3245 N. Meridian St.
Marion County Commission on Youth, Inc. 3901 N. Meridian St.
Marion County Health Department, 3838 N. Rural St., 6042 E. 21st St., 7440 N. Michigan Rd., 505 E. National Ave., 3500 Lafayette Rd.
Wishard Hospital, 1001 W. 10th St.
###
Media Contacts: Ruby Grosdidier
Indiana Partnership to Prevent Firearm Violence
317-575-9128
Joe Stuteville
IU School of Medicine
317-274-7722
jstutevi@iupui.edu
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
A STATEWIDE
RESOURCE
Phone
317 274 7722
Fax
317 278 8722