CHESTER SPRINGS, PA — Twenty-one victims were murdered during the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022. Less than one year later, when US Representatives wore AR-15 pins on the House floor, a local professor knew she had to act by designing pins in honor of Maite Rodriguez, a ten-year-old victim of the Uvalde shooting well-known for her green Converse sneakers.  Along with survivors, volunteers, and activists, this professor is embarking on a poignant journey to Washington DC to distribute these pins to every member of US Congress.
Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children in the US. At the start of July 2023, 905 children died from gun violence in the US, and over 2,000 suffered injuries. It is long past the time for a national conversation around preventing gun violence. Congress must pass common sense laws to protect all victims of gun violence, especially innocent children who are caught in the deadly path of destruction.
Instead of feeling helpless, Gina Gennari of Chester Springs, PA began a ripple, designing a unique pin to serve as a symbol of remembrance and a call for Congress to turn her splash into a tsunami.
“Maite’s Shoes” will be distributed in Washington DC on July 18, 2023, as part of a larger initiative to engage policymakers in meaningful discussions on common sense gun laws. By wearing these pins, we hope to spark conversations and encourage individuals to become actively involved in ending gun violence in the United States.
After the mass shooting in the Kingsessing on July 3, Gina plans to raise more funds to bring pins to every member of the Pennsylvania legislature in Harrisburg later this year.
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