{{Short description|Advocacy organization}} {{Infobox organization | name = Arizonans for Gun Safety | image = | image_size = | type = 501(c)(3) | tax_id = 86-0981306<ref>{{cite web |title=Arizonans For Gun Safety in Phoenix, AZ |url=https://www.orgcouncil.com/ein/860981306 |website=Org Council |access-date=20 January 2021}}</ref> | registration_id = | founded = {{Start date and age|1995}}<ref name="nowicki">{{cite web |last1=Nowicki |first1=Karen |title=Dr Gary Witt Global Gun Safety Awareness and Gerry Hills Arizonans for Gun Safety on Business RadioX |url=https://businessradiox.com/podcast/phoenixbusinessradio/dr-gary-witt-global-gun-safety-awareness-and-gerry-hills-arizonans-for-gun-safety-on-business-radiox/#:~:text=Arizonans%20for%20Gun%20Safety%20(AZFGS,sense%2C%20prevention%2Doriented%20solutions. |website=Business RadioX |access-date=20 January 2021}}</ref><ref name="marchforourlives">{{cite news |last1=Fahey |first1=Amanda |last2=Dafnis |first2=Jordan |title=March for Our Lives taking push for gun-law reforms, voter registration on the road {{!}} Cronkite News |url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2018/07/19/march-for-our-lives-taking-push-for-gun-law-reforms/ |access-date=20 January 2021 |work=Cronkite News |date=19 July 2018}}</ref> | founder = Geraldine Hills<ref name="nowicki" /><ref name="karina">{{cite news |last1=Bland |first1=Karina |title=Bland: Old letter from John McCain shows how little has changed in 20 years of gun debate |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/karinabland/2018/06/05/john-mccains-letter-shows-gun-debate-hasnt-changed-much/668260002/ |access-date=20 January 2021 |work=The Arizona Republic}}</ref> | location = | key_people = Maya Zuckerberg (President) Macey Chandler (Vice President) | region_served = Arizona | services = Policy related to gun violence prevention and responsible gun ownership <br />Education >Advocacy | focus = Gun safety, Gun safety policy | method = Advocacy<br />Community mobilization<br />Outreach programs | revenue = | revenue_year = | disbursements = | expenses = | expenses_year = | endowment = | num_volunteers = | num_employees = | num_members = | subsid = | affiliations = | former_name = | website = {{URL|azgunsafety.org}} | footnotes = }}

'''Arizonans for Gun Safety''' ('''AzGS''') is a non-profit organization that aims to reduce gun-related deaths and promote gun safety. The organization also has education programs to teach about safe storage practices, non-violent conflict resolution, and ways to address youth violence.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Arizonans for Gun Safety |url=http://www.azgunsafety.org |website=Arizonans for Gun Safety |access-date=20 January 2021}}</ref> {{TOC limit}}

== History ==

In 1994 the brother of Geraldine Hill was killed by a man with an AK-47 and a history of mental illness.<ref name="karina" /> One year later, Hills created AzGS.<ref name="nevarez">{{cite news |last1=Nevarez |first1=Griselda |title=Gun Violence Victims Will Be Honored Sunday in Downtown Phoenix |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/gun-violence-victims-will-be-honored-sunday-in-downtown-phoenix-7888103 |access-date=20 January 2021 |work=Phoenix New Times |date=11 December 2015}}</ref>

Some other group members were similarly affected by gun violence. Jennifer Longdon joined and became a president of AzGS after she was paralyzed due to a random drive-by shooting.<ref>{{cite web |title=2020 Jen Longdon |url=https://arizonalist.org/endorsed/jen-longdon-2/ |website=Arizona List |access-date=20 January 2021|quote=A recent former president of Arizonans for Gun Safety, Jen worked with the City of Phoenix to organize Arizona’s largest gun buyback program which removed over 2,000 firearms from our street.}}</ref> Otis and Lory Smith joined the board of directors in 2000 after their daughter Shannon was killed from a stray bullet fired into the air.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scott |first1=Eugene |title=Leaders remember mom who spurred Shannon's Law |url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0116phx-shannon0118.html |access-date=19 January 2021 |work=archive.azcentral.com |publisher=The Arizona Republic |date=2008-01-16}}</ref> The group was later instrumental in passing Shannon's Law, named after Otis and Lory's daughter.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Faller |first1=Mary Beth |title=ASU professor among top experts chosen to define firearm injury research agenda |url=https://asunow.asu.edu/20190618-discoveries-asu-professor-among-top-experts-chosen-define-firearm-injury-research-agenda |website=ASU Now: Access, Excellence, Impact |access-date=22 January 2021 |language=en |date=18 June 2019}}</ref>

The group endorsed the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Voter's Self Defense System |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/public-statement/780415/safe-communities-safe-schools-act-of-2013/ |website=Vote Smart |access-date=21 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/022713RecordSub-Feinstein.pdf |title=Feinstein Records 2013 Assault Weapons Ban }}</ref>

In 2014 AzGS filed an Amicus Curiae for the Appellee in the case of ''Heller v. District of Columbia''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://michellawyers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Heller-v.-D.C._Amended-Notice-of-Intent-to-Participate-as-Amici-Curiae.pdf |access-date=21 January 2021|title=Amended Notice of Intent to Participate as Amici Curiae and Representation of Consent}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=14-7071 – Dick Heller, et al v. DC, et al |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-caDC-14-07071 |website=govinfo |access-date=21 January 2021 |language=en }}</ref>

== March for our Lives == [[File:Downtown Phoenix, AZ, Release the Fear Statue, No More Violence Plaza, 2011 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|The "Release the Fear" Statue, made from 8,000 pounds of metal taken from weapons of violence in Arizona,<ref>{{cite news |last1=D'Andrea |first1=Niki |title=The Release the Fear (a.k.a. "The Melted Weapons") Sculpture |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/the-release-the-fear-aka-the-melted-weapons-sculpture-6563081 |access-date=20 January 2021 |work=Phoenix New Times |date=19 January 2011}}</ref> was the site of the March for Our Lives Arizona protest.<ref name="gilger" />]]

AzGS was a fiscal sponsor of the 2018 March for Our Lives protests that took place in Arizona,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fahey |first1=Amanda |last2=Dafnis |first2=Jordan |title=March for Our Lives taking push for gun-law reforms, voter registration on the road |url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2018/07/19/march-for-our-lives-taking-push-for-gun-law-reforms/ |access-date=22 January 2021 |work=Cronkite News |date=19 July 2018}}</ref> with AzGS founder Geraldine Hills helping to manage more than $14,000 that March for Our Lives raised via GoFundMe merchandise sales.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Flaherty |first1=Joseph |title=Today's Phoenix March for Our Lives: What You Need to Know |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/phoenix-what-to-know-for-the-march-for-our-lives-10260389 |access-date=22 January 2021 |work=Phoenix New Times |date=2018-03-23}}</ref> An estimated 15,000 people showed up at the capitol protest on March 24, 2018.<ref name="rosenblatt">{{cite news |last1=Rosenblatt |first1=Joseph Flaherty, Dillon |title=Just a Small Band of Students Brought 15,000 Together in Phoenix to March for Our Lives |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/phoenix-news-arizona-students-march-for-our-lives-10265198 |access-date=22 January 2021 |work=Phoenix New Times |date=24 March 2018}}</ref> High-schoolers, Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego, and Geraldine Hills all took turns at the microphone.<ref name="rosenblatt" />

At the September 2019 March for Our Lives protest near the "Release the Fear" statue,<ref name="gilger">{{cite web |last1=Gilger |first1=Lauren |last2=Brodie |first2=Mark |title=Groups Rally Across U.S. To End Gun Violence |url=https://kjzz.org/content/1191326/groups-rally-across-us-end-gun-violence |website=KJZZ |access-date=22 January 2021 |language=en |date=25 September 2019}}</ref> shoes and sandals of those affected by gun violence were placed at the base of the statue, including those of former U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith/Cronkite |first1=Barbara |title=March for Our Lives Arizona honors gun-violence victims, plans next steps on reforms |url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2019/09/26/march-for-our-lives-az-reforms/ |access-date=22 January 2021 |work=Cronkite News |date=26 September 2019}}</ref>

== Programs ==

=== Gun Buyback ===

AzGS used to facilitate gun buyback weekends, collecting thousands of guns<ref>{{cite web |title=Arizonans for Gun Safety {{!}} Tempe, AZ {{!}} Cause IQ profile |url=https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/arizonans-for-gun-safety,860981306/ |website=CauseIQ |language=en}}</ref> in conjunction with the Phoenix Police Department.<ref name="deluca" /> In 2013 Governor Jan Brewer signed HB 2455 into law, requiring city or county-sponsored programs to resell (instead of destroy) guns they obtain,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bump |first1=Philip |title=How Arizona Gun Buybacks Became Gun Sellbacks |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/04/how-arizona-gun-buybacks-became-gun-sellbacks/315779/ |access-date=20 January 2021 |work=The Atlantic |date=30 April 2013 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mello |first1=Michael |title=Arizona law bans destroying guns purchased in buyback programs |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-xpm-2013-may-04-la-na-nn-arizona-gun-buybacks-jan-brewer-20130504-story.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=20 January 2021 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=4 May 2013}}</ref> rendering police buyback programs counterproductive.<ref name="deluca">{{cite news |last1=DeLuca |first1=Matthew |title=Anonymous donation funds Phoenix gun buyback |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/anonymous-donation-funds-phoenix-gun-buyback-flna1C9936669 |access-date=20 January 2021 |work=NBC News |date=2013-05-15 |language=en}}</ref>

Artist Robert Miley, creator of the Release the Fear, a monument constructed of melted-down weapons used in violent acts across Arizona, said this of the HB 2455: "I think we need to turn to our youth and realize the things we pass now, whatever they are, they're going to affect generations to come".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kleinpete |first1=Alice |title=Bill would change gun buyback programs |url=http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2013/04/bill-would-change-gun-buyback-programs/index.html |access-date=20 January 2021 |work=Cronkite News}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Gun control advocacy groups in the United States Category:Legal advocacy organizations in the United States