Gun violence affects us in so many ways homicide, domestic violence, mass shootings, and suicide. Perhaps the most underreported truth is that unsecured guns cause a lot of these deaths. And my story, like so many others, starts with loss.
Take a walk back with me.
My godson, Ka'Saun O'Shane Cain, was killed on the streets of Mount Vernon, New York, in 2009. It was a senseless loss. Then, on February 2, 2012, my student Ramarley Graham was shot by the NYPD inside his apartment in front of his grandmother and six-year-old brother. He was unarmed. The officer stated he had seen the "butt of a gun," but no weapon was ever found.
Ramarley was a quiet, gentle soul. I knew his mother, Constance "Lilmiss" Malcolm, from my time working at Young Scholars Academy. All of that was erased in that one instant. It reminded me that violence was all around on the streets, in our homes, and even in the hands of those who are meant to protect us.
I began attending meetings as a member of Moms Demand Action after Sandy Hook in 2012 and Ramarley's murder. I sat along with Mayor Ernie Davis and other mothers like me who had lost children to violence. What I heard was stories of cold cases, silence, and pain. It pushed me to do even more. The only thing that connected each tragedy? Guns.
Moms Demand Action is pushing for common-sense gun safety laws. Here are some demands:
(1) Hold Glock Responsible for enabling illegal machine gun distribution through their conversion device, the "Glock switch."
(2) Implement Merchant Category Codes for gun stores to detect suspicious gun and ammunition sales.
(3) Educate the Public about New York's safe storage of firearms law through NYSED materials.
(4) Implement the SAVE Act to fund anti-violence education in schools.
(5) Expand Ghost Gun Regulation and eliminate loopholes that exempt 3D-printed and homemade weapons from regulation.
(6) Reform Lockdown Drills in schools by reducing frequency and mandating trauma-informed training for teachers.
Thank You Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund for your endorsement.
Vote Row 7A for Cynthia Turnquest
📅 Primary Day: Tuesday, June 24th
See you at the polls on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
Let’s talk. Let’s listen. Let’s build together. Let’s ♥️ Mt. Vernon.
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Campaign of Cynthia Turnquest for Mount Vernon City Council.
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