Every day, more than 90 Americans are killed and/or injured as a result of gun violence. In the last year alone, the country has experienced mass shootings in neighborhoods, schools and public spaces. 

Although there are several common sense gun laws in place to reduce the amount of deaths each year from gun violence, politics has often controlled the accessibility of these deadly weapons. This is why Everytown for Gun Safety started the Wear Orange campaign three years ago.

June 2 has been declared National Gun Violence Day, and BET will be sporting orange to bring awareness to the fight to end gun violence.

Orange is the color worn by hunters in the woods in order to notify others there is a human life present; therefore, orange is used in this campaign to demonstrate that gun violence is a human rights and public safety issue.

The Wear Orange tradition originally began among the friends and family of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton — who was killed by random gunshots on the Southside of Chicago. Hadiya’s death became a national tragedy because it occurred just one week after she was a majorette at Barack Obama’s second inaugural parade.

Now, over 200 non-profits as well as celebrities take part in the campaign. On June 2, we are not only observing National Gun Violence Day, but also Hadiya’s birthday.  

Show your support for Hadiya and the thousands of lives lost every year to senseless gun violence by wearing orange on June 2.