Paint The City Orange raises awareness for those lost due to gun violence

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — One Michiana group is making its message known, following the national day of gun violence awareness and remembrance.

Mom's Demand Action in South Bend told ABC57 it’s committed to ending gun violence, and Bullets for Life, another parent group, is right there along with them for “Paint The City Orange Day”.

It’s part of Wear Orange Weekend, following yesterday’s National Day of Remembrance of those lost, according to Mom’s Demand Action’s website.

The campaign first started in 2013 after Chicago native Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed just one week after performing in a marching band for President Obama’s second inauguration.

Tylyn Dorsey, who spearheaded Saturday’s event told ABC57 it also plays into the theme of ending racial violence, which is personal to her after losing family members herself to gun violence, as well as also experiencing racism as an African-American woman.

“It’s like a way of me expressing myself in my heart through helping other people, saving lives and stuff,” Dorsey said.

“Knowing people that we’ve lost to gun violence and not having justice also connects to police brutality, and a lot of these other people not getting justice. So it’s like, we already have a voice for them, so why not have a voice for everybody else?”

According to the group, the Colfax Avenue bridge in downtown South Bend is also planned to be illuminated in orange light Saturday night as the city honors the memory of all family members lost to gun violence.