The University of Hartford is gearing up to host the National Safe Communities Summit on Friday.
“I think we all here at the university and in Connecticut feel it's so important to be addressing gun violence. Certainly, you know, 10 years ago with Sandy Hook really raised the awareness of the severity of this crisis that we have in the country. And so, we're honored to be holding this event here,” UHart Acting President Stephen Mulready said.
Hundreds will attend the event, including President Joe Biden, who is the second president to visit UHart.
Survivors of gun violence, advocates and many federal and state lawmakers will be present to discuss The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Biden signed the legislation last year - it includes some of the most significant federal gun safety legislation in 30 years.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
“It puts a waiting period on all assault weapons purchases for younger buyers, it invests in red flag laws that take away guns from dangerous people, it expands the background check system, and it takes guns away from domestic abusers,” Sen. Chris Murphy said.
The legislation also includes $15 billion for mental health and community resources.
“That is a lot of money, and so we are building a lot of mental health clinics, all around the country with that money,” Murphy said.
Local
UHart political science major David Leal volunteered for the event and is looking forward to hearing the discussions at the Lincoln Theater.
“It’s an issue that not only affects students in school, but residents in urban areas and people experiencing domestic violence,” Leal said.
Community advocates like Rev. Henry Brown and Rev. Sam Saylor, who recently lost his 12-year-old granddaughter to gun violence, will also be present during the event.
Brown and Saylor applaud lawmakers and Biden for having conversations about gun reform in their backyard, but they said more needs to be done to stop gun violence in urban cities.
“We want to see our children live. We want to see our elders live. We want to see our entire community live. But the guns, people that shouldn't have guns, it's over flooding our community, and we have to find resolutions on how to stop that,” Brown said.
“We owe our children, we owe them a legacy, we owe them an opportunity to grow up and experience all the beauty that life has to offer,” Saylor said.
To view the line-up of speakers, click here.
