Grassroots organizing: Shooting victim’s parents start with free SURVIVORS TOOLKIT
chatbot,gun violence,Survivors Empowered
"Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee." - John Donne
And so it is with victims of gun violence. Shooting death statistics don't do the gun violence crisis in America. This is the story of two aging parents who have turned their grief from their daughters shooting death into purpose through an organizing campaign to demand a gun violence be curbed.
Sandy and Lonnie Phillips started Survivors Empowered to help other shooting victims and organize to demand common sense gun safety legislation. They offer a free Survivors Guide delivered through a chatbot that also builds contact lists.
Tragically, the 2012 Aurora, CO theater shooting death of Jessi Ghawi, daughter of Survivors Empowered founders Sandy and Lonnie Phillips, became the catalyst for the organization’s existence.
Sandy & Lonnie Phillips
Like so many other Americans, Sandy and Lonnie had no idea how easy it is for one person to acquire the guns and ammunition to shoot 70 people, 12 fatally, in just a matter of seconds. After their daughter, Jessi, was gunned down in the massacre, they established Survivors Empowered to help those impacted most by gun violence get the help they need in the immediate aftermath as well as down the road.
They filed a lawsuit to hold accountable the arms dealer who sold 4,000 rounds of ammunition to the shooter. Colorado’s gun industry immunity laws prevented their lawsuit from proceeding, and forced the judge to order them to pay $203,000 in legal fees to the arms dealer, bankrupting them.
Like the mythical character Sisyphus who eternally had to push the rock up the hill, they have pushed…and pushed…and pushed to advance their support of gun violence survivors while advocating for such legislative measures as Jessi’s Law, passed by the Colorado legislature this year. It repeals the state’s gun industry immunity law. The federal immunity law still exists. - Sandy's Cry
Chatbots for grassroots organizing
How can a small grassroots group reach more volunteers and donors? And identify people who are motivated by a specific issue like curbing gun violence? And do this with little money, time or staff?
Survivors Empowered set up a chatbot in a few hours using Twilio and help from Democracy Labs. Simply text 'survive' to 202-858-0303. The chatbot can also be contacted by scanning a QR Code.
The chatbot asks for name, zip code and email address and then provides a digital copy of the Survivors Toolkit and a donation request. The contact details along with the phone number are immediately saved in a database to be used for organizing. Progressive grassroots organizers can get pro bono help with chatbots here.
Guide for survivors of gun violence
"This toolkit is meant to guide survivors of gun violence through the pain of the first few weeks following a shooting, and offers suggestions for getting involved in the GVP movement for those who are so inclined. The toolkit’s first part is dedicated to healing, and the second to advocacy. This two-part toolkit aims to give you some of what we wish we’d had the day our lives changed forever, and what we’ve learned since.
Part One is devoted to the emotional needs survivors face. We offer a roadmap of experiences and feelings you may have, and ways to address them. We understand and respect that everyone is different and grieves at a different pace. That’s one reason we provide you, in a spirit of humility and love, these tips and anecdotes.
Part Two offers suggestions for how to get involved in saving lives from gun violence, if you so choose."
Organize to curb gun violence
"We have found that sharing our experiences and trying to make this world a better and more peaceful place has been immensely helpful in our personal healing. We are happy to be a clearinghouse and connector for your efforts and alliances. We ourselves are traveling around the country with more projects for survivors, including a survivors’ oral history film project, national and regional coalitions, a mindfulness meditation program we founded, and more." - Giffords.org
TakeAway: If you are not at the menu, you are on the menu.
If you don't organize against gun violence, someone you know may become a shooting victim.
"Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee."
Deepak
DemLabs
DISCLAIMER: ALTHOUGH THE DATA FOUND IN THIS BLOG AND INFOGRAPHIC HAS BEEN PRODUCED AND PROCESSED FROM SOURCES BELIEVED TO BE RELIABLE, NO WARRANTY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED CAN BE MADE REGARDING THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, LEGALITY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY SUCH INFORMATION. THIS DISCLAIMER APPLIES TO ANY USES OF THE INFORMATION WHETHER ISOLATED OR AGGREGATE USES THEREOF.