Women over 50 are having a massive impact on gun reform

The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a New York Gun law enacted more than 100 years ago that places restrictions on carrying a concealed handgun outside their home, a move that former Rep. Gabby Giffords called “sad” and “terrible.”

Still, Giffords – who was shot in the face in 2011 while holding a meeting with her constituents in a parking lot in Arizona –said she remains hopeful about meaningful change on gun reform, especially as the Senate on Thursday night passed the most sweeping gun bill designed to prevent gun violence in decades. The legislation will now head to the House and comes in the aftermath of recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York.

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How women over 50 are having an impact on gun reform June 30, 2022 / 04:49

“It will be a long, hard haul. But I’m optimistic,” said Giffords.

Know Your Value spoke to Giffords, 52, as part of its “50 Over 50” initiative to shine a light on women in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond who are shattering age and gender norms. This week, in partnership with Forbes, we’re highlighting just a few women, all of them 50 and older, who are fighting for gun reform.

As a result of the 2011 shooting, Giffords suffered from impact to the left hemisphere of her brain, which left her with a condition that impairs her speech. But that hasn’t stopped her. Giffords has made gun safety reform her signature issue.

She has since turned her tragedy into purpose with the work she’s done this last decade on gun reform. She leads the gun violence prevention organization called Giffords. And she has since taken a full 360 approach on the issue of gun violence – advocating both for legislative solutions and cultural shifts around the issue.

When asked what advice she would give to people who want to enact meaningful change when it comes to gun reform, Giffords said, “Be a leader. Set an example. Be passionate. Be courageous. Be your best.”

Here are a few other women worth paying attention to:

Shannon Watts, 51, founder of Moms Demand Action

The day after the Sandy Hook tragedy, Watts started a Facebook group with the message that all Americans can and should do more to reduce gun violence. The online conversation turned into a grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that protect people from gun violence. In every state there is now a chapter of Moms Demand action.

Of the upcoming gun safety deal she told MSNBC last week it’s an “important first step.” and that it has the power to save lives because it would close the ‘boyfriend’ loophole and make background checks stricter. All the work she’s dedicated on both federal, state and local level is finally seeing some sort of bipartisanship.

Erica Ford, 57, founder of Life Camp

Ford heads Life Camp, a nonprofit organization that aims to end gun violence in underserved communities. Ford, 57, told Know Your Value that her generation is playing a unique role.

“It’s a marathon … so the people of my generation, we have to continue on that marathon and pass the baton … so that the folks coming after us can understand the importance of staying the course because [gun control is] not something that’s a quick fix.”

Ford began working on the issue of gun violence when she was 22 years old.

She grew up in Queens when gun violence was at an all-time high. She saw the devastation it brought to her community and wanted to do something to break that cycle. Today, her organization targets high-risk youth and focuses on community opportunities to change the way young people look at gun violence. She also been a big advocate of the Breaking The Cycle Act, which provides federal grants to community gun violence prevention programs.

Nominations for the 2022 Know Your Value and Forbes “50 Over 50” list is open. If you know a woman who is actively stepping into their power in their sixth decade or beyond, we would love to hear from you! Go here for more details.