NATIONWIDE – August 17 starts the Weekend of Action for gun safety advocacy groups across the nation. A part of the movement is led by the organization called the Brady Campaign, which was just on Capitol Hill this week pushing for Senate Republicans to come back from recess and pass legislation.

Brady and lawmakers are focused on two main bills: one for universal background checks and the other for Red Flag laws. One Brady leader in Long Beach, Peggy McCrum, has been fighting this fight for over a decade.

“My brother Robert Kelley,” said McCrum. “He was my big brother and he was a big brother in every sense you would imagine someone being a big brother.”

Her brother had taught her how to ride a bike and then how to drive. She thought her big brother would be there teaching her all her life, but one day, unexpectedly, that simple dream shattered.

“It’s just that one day,” said McCrum. “When he decided to go to the store, and when he was walking back from the store he was shot once in the head and left for dead and robbed.”

Kelley died the next morning. McCrum turned her sorrow into a voice. She joined the Brady Campaign to fight for gun control, a group named after James Brady, Ronald Reagan’s press secretary who was permanently disabled as a result of the president’s attempted assassination.

“Really it’s time to do something,” said McCrum. “We’ve all had enough.”

Generation Progress, a youth centered advocacy group, a branch of the Center for American Progress in D.C., agreed. Brent Cohen, the Executive Director, said it shouldn’t take another mass shooting after the recent Giroy, El Paso, and Dayton massacres for there to be action.

“This time must be different,” said Cohen.

Cohen said he is seeing a unique and necessary change, where Republicans actually supporting gun safety, specifically Red Flag laws, which would let family members and law enforcement prevent a purchase or take firearms away from someone deemed dangerous. He said California Republicans play a big part of the movement.

“So, California has one of the most prominent and important Republicans in Congress right now, coming out of the 23rd district, Kevin McCarthy,” said McCrum. “And so there should be tons of local and state wide pressure that should be applied to him as a powerful voice.”

Now, this upcoming weekend, McCrum joins the thousands of Brady members across the nation to rally for Senate Republicans to pass universal background checks and the Red Flag laws. She said Robert may not be here, but he is still teaching her how to create a new, safer future.

“My only regret was that he didn’t live a life that he was entitled to, that’s my only regret,” said McCrum. “And he didn’t live a full life because our gun laws don’t protect your average person.”

So far, Rep. McCarthy has raised concerns about violence in video games to echo President Donald Trump, while others like Sen. Lindsey Graham have expressed support for Red Flag mental health bills. President Trump has voiced support only for background checks.

Brady is supporting and advocating for 20 California laws to strength gun safety. One includes expanding the extreme risk laws passed in 2014, or Red Flag laws, to allow colleagues, employees, secondary schools, and staff to also have the authority to recommend someone have their firearms taken away. Another is to make sure law enforcement go through training to know more about how to use and implement the extreme risk laws.

There will be rallies in Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Diego helped by Brady. Other gun safety groups are hosting rallies in Los Angeles, including Moms Demand Action. This rally will happen Saturday, 12 p.m. outside of Los Angeles City Hall. There are other rallies happening in other states like New York, Florida, and the District of Columbia.