WASHINGTON — After the deadly mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York people from across the country are sharing their own experiences with gun violence.
What You Need To Know
- Moms from across the country gathered in Washington to call for stricter gun safety legislation
- Kentuckian Rose Smith attended the rally and shared memories of her son, Cory “Ace” Crowe Sr., who was shot and killed in 2014
- Smith created a nonprofit called The ACE Project to honor her son and help others in the community
Members of the gun safety advocacy group Moms Demand Action gathered in Washington this week, seeking change they said is long overdue. Rose Smith from Louisville traveled in for the rally and shared her personal experience with lawmakers.
“I wear my angel wings a lot. People kind of know me for my angel wings because he’s my guardian angel,” Smith said.
Smith’s son, Cory “Ace” Crowe Sr. was shot and killed in 2014. He was just 24 years old.
“It’s been over 7 years now and I still have no answers,” Smith said.
Smith stood with other Moms Demand Action members as they heard from lawmakers and gun safety advocates. The rally was organized after an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
Smith said the pain you feel after losing a child is something many of the rally’s attendees understand all too well.
During a day of lobbying on Capitol Hill, Smith shared her perspective as a mother. She urged lawmakers to support stricter background checks as well enact red flag laws.
Smith said speaking with other moms was “powerful.”
“I’m ready to keep fighting,” Smith said. “It has motivated me to keep going.”
A bipartisan group of Senators is trying to reach a deal on a narrow package of gun safety measures. The House recently approved a broader series of reforms, but they do not have enough Republican support in the Senate to pass it there.
“Don’t look away. Don’t let it be your loved one,” Smith pleaded. “Don’t be like me. I lost a nephew. I lost a friend. I lost others to gun violence, but when I lost my son, Cory “Ace” Crowe, that’s when I stood up and joined the fight.”
Smith doesn’t want her son’s death to be the only way he’s remembered, so she created The ACE Project in his honor. Besides honoring his nickname, ACE stands for act compassionately every day. The nonprofit offers education support and teaches life skills to children in her community.