This weekend, the Blue Bridge in downtown Grand Rapids will be illuminated in orange to pay tribute to victims of gun violence as part of the annual “Wear Orange” initiative. This event coincides with National Gun Violence Awareness Day, which is observed on the first Friday of June and aims to bring attention to the alarming statistics surrounding gun violence, where an average of 125 people in the U.S. are killed by gunfire every day.
The color orange is historically significant to the movement, first popularized by friends and family of Hadiya Pendleton, who was tragically shot in Chicago in 2013. This year marks the 11th anniversary of the “Wear Orange” movement, encouraging individuals to participate by wearing orange clothing, planting marigolds, or lighting their homes in orange. The Blue Bridge’s orange glow will begin Thursday night and will remain visible until Sunday, encouraging community remembrance and activism against gun violence.
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