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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 24, 2022

CONTACT:
Kenia Guerrero
202- 938-6511
kenia@communicationsshop.us

Spanish version here.

Hispanic Federation Outraged and Heartbroken by Uvalde Shooting, Demands Action from Lawmakers

WASHINGTON — This afternoon, at least 19 people - nearly all children - were gunned down and killed in another mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation, issued the following statement:

"We are devastated by early reports of this afternoon's unspeakable and violent incident at an elementary school where parents dropped their children off this morning and said goodbye - some for the last time. Our hearts are breaking for the victims’ families, and for the whole community of Uvalde, Texas, a city with 81.8% Latino population. Schools should be a safe place for teachers to teach, and a haven for children to learn, laugh, grow, and thrive - not a place to be slaughtered. Just as grocery stores should be a safe place to shop, nightclubs, a safe place to dance, and synagogues, a safe place to worship. With so many lives senselessly and violently cut short in mass shootings that are becoming all too frequent in the United States, condolences are no longer enough.

We demand that our elected officials take responsibility and start telling us NOW what concrete steps they will take to make our communities safer. Like: finally taking action to ensure common-sense gun control laws and systems intended to prevent people from illegally obtaining high-powered weapons of mass destruction, and that guns are not sold to people who have no business buying weapons. Or committing to funding mental health services so that people who are mentally disturbed, suffering from depression or isolation, can more easily get the help they need. We want to hear lawmakers say what they are going to do about the proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy theories on social media, which promote and normalize hate against certain groups and radicalize young men. We don’t want to know how this makes them feel - we want to know what they are going to do?

Today’s horrific incident marks the 27th school shooting this year alone! Children, parents, and teachers now have to live with the terror of another mass shooting. They deserve a nation led by elected officials who will protect them and pass laws that ensure they will have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. As many hold their children tonight and cry for those who senselessly lost theirs today - we also demand action. We will no longer accept empty condolences - words alone will never prevent the loss of life that we have witnessed today."