Dearest Whitney/Strong Supporters,

One area of common ground for Americans is the hope we possess on January 1st each year. While our goal setting methods may vary, we are mostly unified in our desire to change behavior(s) and achieve new, elevated goals with each new year. The feeling of hope is palpable, but even the most disciplined human can’t make it last forever.

This life cycle of hope is something I am very familiar with. As I lay crumpled at the bottom of the revolving door on September 6, 2018, taking gunfire with no route for escape, I found little hope. I said a prayer and resigned myself to death. A mere minute later, my hope for survival was renewed by the presence of the heroic Cincinnati Police Department. My body responded positively and my journey toward recovery began.

I also witness the life cycle of hope regularly with the work of Whitney/Strong, most often through legislative change. In 2019, our team directly lobbied Senator Mitch McConnell for comprehensive background checks only to be met with firm opposition. It was one of the most devastating moments for me and entirely devoid of hope. However, because of your unrelenting actions (more than 550 letters to the U.S. Senate!) and two very high profile and horrendous mass shootings, Senator Mitch McConnell, and many other U.S. Senators previously unwilling to engage on this issue, were suddenly ready to make a deal to prevent gun violence. Witnessing the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (the first piece of federal gun safety legislation in nearly three decades!) from the Senate Gallery with my family was one of the most hope-filled moments of my life.