We Grieve. And We Must Also Act.

Dear nonprofit colleague: Since the horrific mass shooting in downtown Louisville one week ago, I’ve been struggling with what to say in this space that hasn’t already been said. Thoughts, prayers, condolences, we are grieving with you, we are angry and frustrated too… I deeply feel all of those things and yet, such statements feel so empty and hollow to me without a call to action. When I worked on this message last week, I decided I’d sit on it over the weekend and send today. In that time, another mass shooting happened in Louisville – this time at Chickasaw Park on Saturday. And a mass shooting at a sweet 16 party in Alabama. And a child shot twice in the head while knocking on the wrong door in Missouri when picking up his little brothers. And. And. And… A new survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation says most Americans – 54% – say they or a family member have personal experience with some form of gun violence. I am among this 54%, and I don’t want to live like this any longer. Do you?Each of us deserves to feel safe at work. Our kids deserve to feel safe at school and in their neighborhoods. Our clients and constituents deserve to feel safe at our organizations and our events. We deserve to feel safe as we shop for groceries, go to the movies, visit a park, or attend a worship service. And the fact is: many do not feel safe. The fact is: many are not safe.  We all agree this must change. But what does this mean exactly? I’m not sure. But I am sure that like most complex issues, it’s clear to me that more nonprofits are going to need to step up, and step up in a big way. And by this I mean not just nonprofits whose missions focus on gun violence (they’re already doing the heavy lifting), but ALL nonprofits (like KNN and many of you reading this). Why? Because your nonprofits are the ones on the front lines providing intervention, prevention, and other services to individuals, families, and communities. Nonprofits working with at-risk populations have employees afraid to come to work, afraid to conduct in-home visits, afraid to exist – they cannot continue to provide services without a workforce. Nonprofits are the ones willing to hold difficult conversations. Nonprofits are the ones willing to help hold elected officials accountable. As Whitney Austin, a gun violence survivor who was shot 12 times at a Cincinnati bank in 2018 and set up Whitney/Strong, a nonprofit on violence prevention and gun safety said: “This is not about divisiveness. This is not about guns are good, guns are bad. This is about finding where there is common ground and working together. I always have hope that change will come.” I never anticipated that gun violence would be a KNN legislative priority for the sector, but now it’s become clear that there is no other choice. For us to address this complex issue, nonprofits – once again – are needed to lead the way. It’s the only way that I too can have hope that change will come. To Louisville – and every community in Kentucky – we are with you, both in your quest for healing and in finding short and long term solutions. Even though I am not certain what that looks like yet… we are with you. Danielle Clore CEO