LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim Saturday, June 6, 2015, as Standing for Peace and Justice Day
in the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official
days that are set aside to increase awareness of issues that affect the
lives of citizens of New York State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, it is the intent of this Legislative Body to memo-
rialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim Saturday June 6, 2015 as
Standing for Peace and Justice Day in the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, According to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, guns
were used to murder 11,000 people in 2010 in the United States, the
latest year for which statistics are available; 20,000 others used guns
to commit suicides that year, and 73,000 were rushed to hospital emer-
gency rooms for gunshot wounds; and
WHEREAS, In recent years, gun violence has claimed the lives of more
than 30,000 men, women and children annually; doctors and public health
specialist say gun violence is at epidemic levels, calling it a major
public-health threat; and
WHEREAS, Residents of urban communities encounter barriers to access-
ing services and are most frequently denied services; and
WHEREAS, To this end, the National League of Cities, which represents
and advocates for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, has crafted a
National Municipal Policy on Public Safety; and
WHEREAS, Cities United, the Crime Prevention arm of National League of
Cities, envisions mayors and various municipal leaders, forming partner-
ships with other local officials, community leaders, families, youth,
charitable and philanthropic organizations, federal agencies and other
stakeholders within their respective communities to champion strategies
to reduce violence, injuries and fatalities among African-American boys
and men; and
WHEREAS, In 2013 the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and
Asian Legislative Caucus announced the start of a statewide initiative
to reduce gun violence, and the introduction of a joint resolution to
mark June as Gun Violence Awareness Month in New York State: stating a
Black or Latino youth has a 56% increased likelihood of being injured by
gun violence than a motor vehicle accident, this is akin to a Public
Health Crisis; and
WHEREAS, A caucus of families impacted by gun violence from the
following New York State organizations P.E.A.C.E., Inc. (Parents
Encouraging Accountability and Closure for Everyone), Buffalo, New York;
Stop Kill'n Start Chill'n, Rochester, New York; Not Another Child (NAC),
Brooklyn, New York; PURGE (Parents United to Rally for Gun-violence
Elimination), Brooklyn, New York; and Mamas Against Gun Violence, Syra-
cuse, New York, will join Mothers In Charge Inc. in the Standing for
Peace and Justice Rally, which will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2015,
in Washington, D.C.; and
WHEREAS, We recognize that violence and homicide is a Public Health
Crisis and in response, support efforts to address this crisis by
increasing awareness among all stakeholders to ensure equal protection
of our citizens, and to ensure the safety for our youth; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim Saturday, June 6, 2015,
as Standing for Peace and Justice Day in the State of New York; and be
it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.