One nation united: 21 people from across the United States came together Saturday to talk about guns in American society.
WASHINGTON, D. C. – They came as strangers from across the country, with wildly different perspectives on one of the most difficult and divisive issues in America today.
But no matter where they stood on the issue of gun violence when they arrived in the nation’s capital this weekend, the 21 participants of « Guns, an American Conversation » agreed they left the first of the two-day gathering with a deeper understanding of the issues, and of each other.
« Just connecting with people changes this entire conversation, » said participant Ade’Kamil Kelly of East Orange, New Jersey. « Now we’re talking. Now we’re moving to the next level of conversation. »
As hundreds of thousands of protesters thronged Pennsylvania Avenue outside the Newseum for the March Against Violence on Saturday, the participants were huddled inside, engaged in deep discussion about a topic that has bedeviled lawmakers down the street on Capitol Hill: What should be done about gun violence in the wake of recent school shootings?
The group included a suburban mother and hunter, gun control advocates, gun violence victims, a teacher, a youth counselor, a competitive shooter, police officers, a decorated military veteran, a retired diplomat, high school activists and college students.
In addition to Kelly, the participants, chosen from a pool of almost 900 applicants, included:
The project, led by Advance Local in partnership with the Newseum and Spaceship Media, started with the in-person weekend sessions and will run throughout the month of April when the 21 participants join 130 other individuals in an online discussion about guns in America.
Advance Local websites and newspapers will chronicle their journey together, and will be joined in coverage by partners from Time magazine and Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting.
« I felt I had an opportunity to walk in some other shoes, » said participant Melanie Jeffcoat. « Maybe someone had the opportunity to walk in mine. »
