Since 11 people were killed at a dance studio in January, the tranquil community of Monterey Park has transformed into a nexus for political organizing around gun policy. And on Friday afternoon California’s four Democratic candidates running for the U.S. Senate came to the city to share their views on the subject.
They gathered at East L.A. College, about 2.5 miles from the scene of the massacre, for a discussion hosted by youth-led organization March for Our Lives, the People’s Town Hall and Southern California Crossroads.
The event marked the first time the four candidates — Katie Porter, D-Irvine; Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland; Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, and businesswoman Lexi Reese — appeared on one stage. It gave residents in Monterey Park and beyond the opportunity to hear their plans to combat the gun violence epidemic.
March for Our Lives youth organizer Austin La, who is from the San Gabriel Valley, said he was excited that the candidates came to Monterey Park to discuss this critically important issue, but noted that what matters most is whether they hold true to their word in office.
“Regardless of who wins this race, I hope that they keep the promises that they made here because we’re all too familiar with false promises,” said La. “They are in Monterey Park and have to understand that this is a community that’s healing, and they have to follow through.”
The urgency of addressing gun violence rises day by day. When the Monterey Park mass shooting took place on Jan. 21 it was the 33rd mass shooting of 2023. By Friday, Sept. 8, the day of the town hall, there had been 492 mass shootings and almost 30,000 gun violence deaths across America.
California is already a trailblazer for gun safety laws and its new senator will be responsible for continuing to lead the charge against gun violence on the national stage.
The three candidates now serving in Congress each highlighted the multiple gun safety laws they sponsored this year…
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