2023 has already been a deadly year. From Monterey Park to Nashville to Louisville, there have been more than 170 mass shootings so far, and they represent only 1 percent of gun deaths in America. Missing from the headlines are the 120 lives taken and hundreds more impacted by gun violence every day from devastating homicides, suicides, domestic violence incidents, police violence and unintentional shootings. Furthermore, this Mother’s Day marks one year since a white supremacist took the lives of 10 people and wounded three people in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. And on May 24, we’ll mark one year since 19 children and two teachers were killed in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Both shooters, armed with hate and a firearm, used an AR-15 to commit these heinous tragedies.
We’re tired of heartbreak, so we’re demanding solutions we know will help address this crisis. Volunteers in congressional districts across the country will come together on Saturday, May 13, 2023 to demand one immediate solution, that the US House of Representatives bring an Assault Weapons Ban to the floor of Congress. We will rally, hand out flyers, phonebank and march to demand a ban on assault weapons.
- All events should take place on Saturday, May 13, 2023. The time is up to you.
- Decide what type of event. Here are some ideas and links to more info:
- Pick a location: Locations can vary and you should pick one that is meaningful to your community. Please DO NOT gather outside of Congressional offices.
- Get prepared: We will be holding an open office hour twice a week to answer any question you might have and make sure you have all the answers you need and that you’re ready to go!. Additionally, we will hold a final prep call for event hosts on May 11, 2023 at 8:30 pm ET/5:30 pm PT.
Create your event by submitting details at this link. By creating your event, it will be included in our national recruitment messages, and will be published on our Find an Event website and Demand Action App. This is the best way to have the biggest impact! We will also be able to follow up with you and the people who attend your event to keep you all involved in the gun violence prevention movement. After you create your event, we will send you instructions about how to see who has signed up and how to mark who attended your event, as well as additional resources.
- Signs and Promotional Flyers: After you create your event, we’ll send you a packet with template flyers, or you can make homemade signs.
- Coordinate with your local Moms Demand Action chapter. You can contact them by emailing [your state name]@momschapterleaders.org (ie [email protected]). If you’re a student, reach out to [email protected] to be connected to other local student groups. Reach out to supportive Mayors and Congressional leaders to join, speak and get the word out about your event.
- Recruit: Moms Demand Action chapters and Students Demand Action local groups should use their normal recruitment tools like our phonebanking, peer-to-peer texting and emails tools, and inviting people in your own network. If you are not involved with a local chapter, be in touch with local leaders (see details under “coordinate” above), and they can help you with our tools. We will also have some national recruitment for all events via email and SMS. To make sure your events get included in this outreach, please get your events created ASAP.
- Involve community partners in planning and promotion: Involve partners in planning and ask everyone to share the event with networks and on social media.
- Wear red! Whether it is an official Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action or Everytown Survivor Network shirt or just something else red, get everyone wearing our signature color and demanding action.
Talking Points
We’ll share talking points to craft remarks and talk with the media directly with event hosts after your event is approved. We will have a media training on May 8, 2023 at 8:30pm ET open to everyone.
Homemade Signs
A red shirt selfie is always great, but a homemade sign would be amazing for a recruiting post and could also be held during the event. After you create your event we’ll send samples.
Use your own social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) to raise awareness about our demand to reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban and illustrate the power of the movement by reporting out what is going on at events. Be sure to include the call to action, text FED UP to 644-33.
Best Practices
- Frame your posts using the messaging guidance found in this toolkit.
- Your social media is most powerful when it reflects your own unique voice.
- Include @MomsDemand and #FedUp, and #MothersDay of Action.
- Include a photo of you in action. Red shirt selfies at events are great!
- Visit https://bit.ly/mothers-day-of-action-social for more information.
Sample Social Media Post
As a [INSERT IDENTITY: mom, pastor, community member, firefighter, teacher, etc], I’m participating in the @MomsDemand #MothersDay of Action because I am #FedUp–it’s time for action!
I’m calling on Congress to reinstate the bipartisan assault weapons ban now, join me! Text FED UP to 644-33 to contact your lawmaker and demand they act!
Rallies, Marches, Vigils and Other Gatherings
Visible events like rallies, marches and vigils are a great option for the Mother’s Day of Action. They can be as big as 300 people or as small as a dozen. As long as your program is well thought out and prepared, your event will be a success. Rallies and marches often have a theme of demanding action while vigils are more reserved and solemn. Decide what you think is more important for your community and make a plan. Once you register your event, we will share more about the process to make it happen successfully.
Flyering, Tabling and Sign-Waving Events
Gun violence impacts every community in this country, and so should our events. A tabling event, flyering event or sign waving can be a great way to raise awareness, drive meaningful action, and show the strength, spread, and courage of our movement from literally everywhere. Tabling (setting up a folding table at a public space, and inviting people for a conversation), Flyering (handing out flyers with information on the issue and details on how to take action) and Sign-Waving (Standing on the sidewalk in high-traffic street corners, waving signs calling on Congress to take action) are all tactics a small group of activists can engage in. Once you register your event, we will share more about the process to make it happen successfully.
Not able to host an event near you?
You can still make an impact by gathering your team to join us for our Virtual Afternoon of Action on Saturday, May 13 from 3-6pm ET (12-3pm PT). During this time, we’ll call voters in key House districts about the need to reinstate a federal assault weapon ban and urge them to call their representative to speak out! No previous experience is needed — we’ll go over our action and run through a short phonebanking training. All you need is a phone, computer or tablet that connects to the internet.
Want to host your own phonebanking event on Saturday, May 13?
Create your event and tell us you’re phonebanking in the event description — we’ll be in touch with guidance on how your team can call into our national virtual phonebank on the 13th. Please note that the phonebank is only open between 12pm-9pm ET.