Presented at the May 2023 SD4GVP monthly meeting by Dr. Garen Wintemute. https://videos.files.wordpress.com/Iwq8Z40I/sd4gvp-video-presentation-dr.-wintemute-480p-c.mp4 Garen J. Wintemute is a renowned expert on the public health crisis of gun violence and a pioneer in the field of injury epidemiology and prevention of firearm violence, which results in approximately 30,000 deaths a year and approximately 75,000 nonfatal injuries seen in hospital emergency departments. Dr. Wintemute’s longstanding commitment to understand the nature of firearm violence and its underlying causes has produced a u ..read more

It’s the abiding tragedy of our age that young people have to be troubled by the danger of gun violence. One of the few bright spots in that otherwise bleak landscape is the talent, energy and precious perspective they can bring. That’s why we were heartened that eighth-grade students from High Tech Middle School North County, near San Diego, asked SD4GVP to partner with them for their “Made to Stick” project last month. In Made to Stick, students learn from history’s most revolutionary ideas, then apply linguistic and artistic persuasion to their own revolutions. In partnership with professi ..read more

If you’ve been looking for a way — any way — to turn your outrage over recent news into action, this is your chance. The County of San Diego wants to know how you feel about gun violence. The Gun Violence Reduction Community Survey is a needs assessment of local residents and agency representatives. Its goal is to gather information about violence, or the threat of violence, involving firearms. “There must be something I can do.” Between now and February 15, there is. The survey is part of a larger grassroots engagement effort launched by the County of San Diego’s Public Safety Group. Gun vio ..read more

We spent 2022 gradually emerging from pandemic mode: spending more time face to face with members of our community, canvassing for GVP candidates and braving contentious crowds at City Council and County Board of Supervisor events. We continued telling elected officials, John Q. Public and people in affected communities that gun violence is not (and should not be) normal, and that we’re doing something about it. Have a look at the 8-minute video (below) that we’ve created to show off our 2022 milestones. Here’s to seeing you at more of our events in 2023 ..read more

December 17, 2022 We remember the victims and Move forward together to end gun violence.   Our Speakers & Contributors The Very Reverend Penny Bridges Dean, St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral where diversity is respected, encouraged and protected; member, Mayor’s AIDS Memorial Task Force; co-founder of San Diego Women in Ministry, an interfaith women clergy group. stpaulcathedral.org Dr. Sophie Webber Dr Sophie Webber (cello) is an internationally accomplished soloist, chamber musician, and educator, who believes in the healing power of music. For more information, and for upcomi ..read more

HELP US END GUN VIOLENCE Today is Giving Tuesday and we know you will receive many requests to support charitable organizations. Why does San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention deserve your donation this year? Because there is a clear and present threat on the horizon to our local and statewide gun safety legislation that we have worked so hard to pass in San Diego and California. Due to the recent Supreme Court ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, our local courts may overturn years of legislation that currently makes California one of the leaders in gun v ..read more

San Diego, California, October 11, 2022 – San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention (SD4GVP) released its final 2022 San Diego County Voter Guide today, identifying 25 candidates running for local office in San Diego County who are committed to leading with gun safety in mind. The SD4GVP Voter Guide is available online at www.sd4gvp.org/candidates/ for County residents to access before Election Day on Nov. 8. “The number-one way to change the disheartening amount of gun violence is to vote for candidates who understand the root causes of violence, and who will take steps to address those ca ..read more

SD4GVP was honored last week with San Diego Rotary’s Peace Award. The $1,000 award will help us fund our return to in-person events, along with the many expenses — printing, tabling fees, insurance — that come with those events. Our heartfelt thanks go to Rotary for recognizing and rewarding this kind of work in San Diego. As shown above, Therese Hymer, our Legislative Team lead, and Carol Landale, our vice president, accepted the award from Tasreen Khamisa and Tom Cohen, co-chairpersons of Rotary’s Peace Committee. Carol and Therese delivered a quick overview of the state of gun violence pre ..read more

“The last couple of years have been a hot mess.” True words spoken by a 16-year-old student a short time ago. While some folks may not relate to this trendy term of “hot mess,” the gravity of the sentiment resonates with almost all of us. The rough emotional environment I am a high school teacher. Mentoring, counseling, coaching, guiding, and cheering on kiddos in the classroom have been skills I have cultivated professionally and personally for my entire career. But only recently have I needed to truly combine my superpowers as a strong pillar of support for the teenagers around me. I have s ..read more

It was December 14, 2012. I had just gotten off work and was settling into my car to go home. I started the engine. The radio, set to NPR, came on. I’ll never forget that moment. Robert Siegel was reporting on the massacre of 20 students and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The shock I felt in that instant, and subsequent stupor, were comparable only to what I felt on 9/11/2001. From apathy to activism I call this my tipping point moment – the moment I was kicked, in the butt, out of apathy and into social action. I had been blissfully apathetic about the is ..read more