OREGON ALLIANCE TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE ACTION FOUNDATION
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Mission Statement
Oregon Alliance for Gun Safety Foundation works to end gun violence in our communities by leading public education programs, conducting research and raising awareness about gun violence and its solutions.
About This Cause
Oregon keeps breaking records for gun violence. The rate of gun deaths increased 24% from 2011 to 2020. And 2021 was even worse. Portland alone had 1,318 documented shooting incidents in 2021, more than three times as many as just two years ago. According to the Giffords Law Center, Portland had the 2nd highest increase in gun violence of any city in America. Shootings disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities, younger age groups and urban residents. Black Oregonians are six times more likely than their white counterparts to die of gun homicide. At the same time, 81% of Oregon gun deaths are suicides. These deaths skew rural, male, older and white. This is not just a public safety problem. It’s also a public health crisis. The good news is we know how to tackle this crisis. We just need the public will to get it done. Several critically important gun violence prevention strategies remain out of reach, stymied by a lack of sustained energy behind legislation and a lack of public will. Here are two examples: 1) Hospital-based violence interruption, early intervention and after-school programs for at risk youth, mental health services and other approaches address the root causes of violence, reduce conflict and help people heal after violence occurs. Data shows that these approaches – collective known as “Community Violence Intervention” – are effective at reducing shootings and deaths in marginalized communities. This work is led by nonprofit organizations based in Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities that experience disproportionate rates of gun violence. 2) Firearm licensing policies – also known as “permit to purchase” – have been shown to significantly reduce gun injuries and deaths. Licensing policies require those who wish to purchase a firearm to have completed hands-on training, completed a background check in person at a law enforcement office, submit to fingerprinting and wait 10-days between purchasing and receiving a firearm. Together the provisions reduce both firearm suicide rates and also the transfer of firearms on the illegal market. Compared to our neighbors in Washington and California, Oregon is way behind in the movement to make our communities safer from gun violence. The Oregon Alliance has undergone an internal reorganization and retooled our approach in order to rise to the challenge. Our plan focuses on proven social change strategies drawn from the gun violence prevention sector and other movements: -- Build a professionally-staffed advocacy organization to set the pace and drive the agenda. Building on the model of the Seattle-based Alliance for Gun Responsibility, the Oregon Alliance is assembling a team of experienced social change leaders to manage both educational and advocacy programs. -- Broaden the coalition of supporters and deeply engage BIPOC, healthcare, religious and business leaders. Our constituency outreach program works to engage community and institutional leaders at the highest levels. -- Build a sophisticated community organizing program to increase public will for bold change. Our work recruits and trains volunteer leaders online and on the ground. We will invest in recruiting rural residents, gun owners, diverse communities, powerful personal stories and unexpected messengers. -- Leverage a partnership with regional and national organizations eager to see state-based leadership on gun policy. We partner with nonprofits in the Pacific Northwest and academic research institutions to conduct issue research, issue policy papers, analyze relevant data and make the case to the public.