Capitals, D.C. Sports Teams Voice Support For Gun Safety, Call To Action

The Washington Capitals, along with the Mystics, Wizards, Nationals, Commanders, Spirit and Shadow are teaming up in support of gun safety and promoting a call to action, Monumental Sports & Entertainment announced Friday.

All of the teams announced an initial donation of more than $85,000 to Everytown for Gun Safety. The donation will support the Everytown for Gun Safety’s Community Safety Fund, “providing direct investment, peer convenings and capacity building to community-based violence intervention programs.”

Each D.C. team currently in season will use its platform to raise awareness for gun safety. This includes changing the social media avatars to the color orange and providing statistics and data on gun violence. The teams are also encouraging donations and donating proceeds from select sales and events to Everytown.

Gun Violence Awareness Day, also known as Wear Orange Day, is on Friday. The campaign started in 2015, which would have been Hadiya Pendleton’s 18th birthday. On Jan. 21, 2013, Pendleton marched in President Obama’s inaugural parade. One week later, she was shot and killed on a Chicago playground. Friends decided to commemorate her by wearing orange. Orange is the color that hunters wear to protect themselves and others in the woods.

The Capitals are one of many teams to speak out against gun violence. This call to action comes after multiple mass shootings over the last couple of weeks.