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SAFER COUNTRY’S POST-ELECTION PARTY

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On Wednesday, April 16, Safer Country held a special event to remember the victims and survivors of the Virginia Tech tragedy, which happened 18 years ago on that date.  We also raised funds to support our gun tragedy prevention work.

Safer Country is based in Alexandria and is committed to keeping guns out of unsafe hands.

Our planned speakers included Dr. Michelle Rief, Alexandria School Board Chair; Abbey Clements, Sandy Hook survivor and Co-Founder and Executive Director of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, and Andrew Goddard, father of Colin, a Virginia Tech survivor and Legislative Director of the Virginia Center for Public Safety.  Andrew is also a Board member of Safer Country.  Additionally, although not originally scheduled, we were honored to have Peter Read, the father of Mary, who was 19 when she was murdered in the Virginia Tech massacre.

We also showed a powerful short film called “Stray Echoes,” which was created by D.C. students who were facilitated by the National Black Movie Association’s (NBMA) Founder and President Agnes Moss.  Safer Country will be working with her and her organization to raise the funds to enable people to see gun tragedies in Black communities in a new way.

Safer Country also presented its initial Courage award to former DOJ Pardon Attorney Liz Oyer.  She risked her job on principle and lost it when President Donald Trump fired her.  She refused to recommend Trump supporter, Mel Gibson, for a pardon so he could get his gun rights back.

Click on this to see more about our event, learn more about our work, and donate to show your support for Safer Country!

The Alexandria Film Festival and Safer Country will present “Under the Gun: Crosshairs and Consequences,” a showcase of two films that explore the impact of violence on communities and their response.

Part of the 17th annual Alexandria Film Festival, the showcase takes place Saturday, November 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:35 p.m. at The Lyceum in Old Town Alexandria.

The first film is a 23 minute documentary on people arming themselves out of a fear of MAGA.  It’s called “Arming The Left” and a discussion led by Paul Friedman, Executive Director of Safer Country, with Will Allen-Dupraw, its creator, will follow.

That will be followed at 11:35 a.m. by the 114 minute feature film, “The Song of Rifles” about the impact of war in Africa on a 12-year-old boy.  He is faced with being dragged into the fighting.

A discussion led by Paul Friedman with Vijaykumar Mirchandani, producer of The Song of The Rifles, will follow.

Tickets and all-festival passes are on sale now at alexfilmfest.com.