Look Forward to the New Year

PLUS: Victory in California, Celebrating Carolyn McCarthy, and more >>>

Friend,    New year, same mission: Free America from gun violence.    In 2024, for the third straight year, firearms were the number one killer of kids. Yet there is hope. Last year, we saw the largest drop in homicides in recent history. We saw an increased focus on the responsibility of gun owners, especially parents, to keep firearms secured. We saw the impact of enhanced background checks which have kept firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers and prohibited purchasers.   In 2025, we continue to have ambitious goals that will protect our families, our friends, and our communities.    We are prepared to hold the line against an incoming Trump administration that has pledged to roll back our life-saving progress and implement a dangerous "guns everywhere" agenda. We will continue to push hard for state level changes and we will fight in the courts to uphold gun violence prevention laws and secure justice for the victims and survivors of gun violence. And we are going to continue to change the culture of firearms in America.   In no small part, we made progress last year because of supporters like you. We are changing this country for the better, and we need your help. If you're looking to get more involved in the movement to prevent gun violence and save lives, we have many groups that you can join today:    ✅ Brady Chapters: Join or create a chapter to end gun violence in your community. ✅ Team ENOUGH: Brady's youth-led initiative that educates young people about gun violence and mobilizes them to take action against it. ✅ Regional Leadership Councils: Fuel Brady's life-saving programs and campaigns.  ✅ This Is Our Lane: Elevates the voices of healthcare professionals on the frontlines of America's gun violence epidemic. ✅ Legal Action Alliance: Takes on the gun industry in court and represents victims and survivors of gun violence, pro bono, free of charge.  ✅ Show Gun Safety: We work with writers, directors, and producers to #ShowGunSafety on screen to change the culture and behaviors of firearms in America.   Visit our website to get involved and help us continue our work through 2025! JOIN NOW >>> In solidarity, Team Brady   Victory in California!   On Thursday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed our Brady endorsed Procurement Ordinance which will go into effect on January 29!   The new ordinance will ensure that taxpayers — the number one purchaser of firearms in America — do not unknowingly enable gun trafficking and crime by having their tax dollars spent at firearms dealers with a history of legal violations. This gives local governments an avenue to hold dealers accountable and promote business practices that promote public safety.   Brady looks forward to working with lawmakers across the state, including our partners in San Diego County, who are set to vote on a similar ordinance in early 2025. Similar measures have already passed in the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Diego.   Learn more about the power of procurement on our website! LEARN MORE >>> Celebrating Representative Carolyn McCarthy This week, former Congresswoman, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04) was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal — one of the highest civilian awards in the U.S. given to citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service. Rep. McCarthy served New York faithfully for 18 years, driven by her personal experience with gun violence. We at Brady were honored to work with her as she fought tooth and nail for gun safety measures.  Brady Chief Programs and Policy Officer and gun violence survivor Christian Heyne with Rep. Carolyn McCarthy. Rep. McCarthy came to this work after losing her husband and nearly losing her son in a horrific shooting on the Long Island commuter rail in 1993. She became an incredibly outspoken advocate on gun violence prevention and when it became clear that her representative wasn't going to act, she ran against him and won.   Brady worked for years with Rep. McCarthy as she championed action on gun reform and strengthened Brady Background Checks at a time when few others would take up the cause.    Our movement would not be what it is today without the leadership, courage, and hard work of Rep. Carolyn McCarthy. We must push our leaders in Congress to follow in her footsteps. TAKE ACTION >>>   Week of New Year's Ranks #2 Among Weeks With Highest Average Number of Unintentional Shootings   The week of Christmas (December 24-31) and the first week of the New Year (January 1-7) are among the biggest spikes in unintentional shootings of the entire year.   Unintentional shootings are instances of family fire, or a shooting that results from someone misusing an unsecured firearm from the home. Data shows that easy access to unlocked and loaded firearms leads to more unintentional shootings.   The best way to prevent these tragedies is through safe storage – storing firearms locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition.    Today, 4.6 million children live in homes with unlocked firearms and one-third of adolescents report they can access a loaded firearm in under five minutes. Make sure to keep firearms secured and have conversations about safe firearm storage to protect loved ones. LEARN MORE >>> Thank You to Our Supporters   We at Brady are fighting to change the laws, change the gun industry, and change the culture to end the gun violence epidemic in America. We are able to do this work thanks to supporters like you who fuel our life-saving mission.  We're proud to have the longest legacy of progress in the movement against gun violence. Our work is saving lives each and every day. SEE OUR IMPACT >>> If you want to sustain our work in 2025 and beyond, please consider supporting Brady with a gift today.   DONATE NOW >>>   Follow Brady On Bluesky! Want to stay up to date on our latest work to prevent gun violence in America? Then follow Brady and our president, Kris Brown, on BlueSky, the newest social media platform! FOLLOW BRADY >>> FOLLOW KRIS >>> Keeping Your Kids Safe From Guns in the Home, American Public Health Association Number of Seized Ghost Guns in Baltimore Down in 2024; Worley Says More Work is Needed, WBALTV SHARE ON BLUESKY >>>   Brady 840 First Street, NE Suite 400 Washington, DC 20002 United States   unsubscribe.