Shared Humanity: The humans behind the headlines, is the Yale School of Public Health’s (YSPH) new podcast hosted by my friend, Nelba Márquez-Greene, Yale’s Activist in Residence. The podcast centers the voices and stories of people affected by gun violence. Nelba is a licensed marriage and family therapist who uses her platform to explore the human side of these tragedies. Each episode delves into the experiences of those impacted by gun violence, highlighting their stories and discussing actionable solutions. In the first episode, Nelba was joined by author, activist, and mother of Trayvon Martin, Sybrina Fulton.
The series is particularly poignant as Nelba’s daughter, Ana Grace, 6, was one of 20 students, and 6 administrators and teachers who were killed in a mass shooting at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut on Dec. 14, 2012.
Nelba’s extensive background in grief, loss, and trauma therapy informs her empathetic and insightful approach to these conversations. Recognized as one of “Ten Women Changing the World” by People Magazine in October 2019, she leverages her expertise and personal experience to foster understanding and amplify the voices of those most directly impacted by gun violence, survivor family members.
Nelba is an extraordinary human, practitioner, and activist. Her role at YSPH enhances our ability to work on the epidemic of violence in our country, while centering our efforts in community, caring, and lived experience. – YSPH Dean Megan L. Ranney, MD
Through “Shared Humanity,” listeners are encouraged to see beyond the headlines and statistics, connecting with the human emotions and stories behind the issue of gun violence. The series combines powerful narratives with evidence-based insights, aiming to motivate listeners to engage in positive change and support survivors in meaningful ways.
The second episode of Shared Humanity is a conversation with Kristin Song, a mom on a mission to keep other people’s children and teens safe from unintentional shootings by unsecured guns.
Kristin Song’s 15-year-old son Ethan was tragically killed in 2018 when he and his friend were handling an unsecured gun at the friend’s house. The gun belonged to the friend’s father and was stored in a closet with the ammunition and keys in the same container. Driven by her grief, Kristin channeled her efforts into advocating for gun safety legislation in Connecticut, leading to the bipartisan passage of Ethan’s Law.
Ethan’s Law mandates that all guns must be securely stored if a child or unauthorized person could potentially access them. The law aims to prevent unintentional shootings and unauthorized access to firearms by requiring proper storage measures. Kristin Song’s advocacy has inspired similar child access prevention laws in Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, and Maryland, with her ongoing efforts to enact Ethan’s Law in six additional states.
In her conversation with Nelba, Kristin Song discusses the profound impact of losing a child in such a preventable and unjust manner. She emphasizes the importance of safe gun storage practices and the need for collective responsibility in addressing gun violence as a public health crisis. Despite the immense personal tragedy, Kristin’s advocacy underscores her determination to create positive change and prevent other families from enduring similar heartbreak. Learn about #SongStrong, The Ethan Miller Song Foundation and how you can help lobby for Ethan’s Law.
I do this fight because the intense pain that you feel that’s apparent for losing a child, for me that propels me every day to get up and fight for your children and fight for our grandchildren all over this world. And so I will never stop. You know, I will never stop until this law is passed, until we create a culture in America that it becomes second nature to store your guns. Just like it’s second nature to put your child in a car seat. Just like it’s second nature to install smoke detectors. Just like it’s second nature to put up a fence around your pool. This is absolutely no different. – Kristin Song
019-05-29-The-Ethan-Miller-Song-Foundation (1)
Share on Social Media:
Discover more from The Relentless School Nurse
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Really looking forward to listening to Nelba. Heart wrenching that her baby would have graduated yesterday.