By the Davis Phoenix Coalition
After yet another deadly week of gun violence, other nations are warning their citizens of the danger of traveling to the United States. Ironically, we are now the real producers of the “dangerous people” our national leader says he wants to protect us from. The weight of images and stories from the terror in our country is paralyzing. While it is true that we need stronger federal-level anti-gun violence laws, we must also call out and address the toxic climate that has dangerously accelerated and escalated the level of violence in our country. We have now lived in a cloud of hateful rhetoric, hostile discourse, and lack of personal accountability for three years. This stressful atmosphere is wearing for all people, not just for those directly targeted.
The Davis Phoenix Coalition is committed to promoting safe and respectful spaces. We work to prevent hate-motivated violence and speech. We recognize that a harmonious community is built upon respecting and valuing differences, which enrich and strengthen our society. The onslaught of inflammatory language from one of the world’s most powerful 
positions poisons our nation and is driving extreme, divisive behavior. We are distraught that so many lives are shattered by a deliberate campaign of violence against those that are already marginalized, but we are most disturbed by the literal and figurative casualty of young lives.
Our youngest and most impressionable citizens are growing up in a climate where children are unsafe from active shooters, the loss of their parents, and assault against their own bodies and identities. They watch as their laws, their schools, their caregivers, and their representatives stand seemingly helpless to bring change, hope, and safety into their world. It is critical that we present them with tools to cope.
When we identify the roots of greater problems we see in our nation here in our own community and take action locally, we show our young people that there are ways we can help send ripples of good into the world. We can teach respectful ways to speak to one another, how to graciously accept each other’s differences, and look beyond what is best for our own immediate needs to what is best for our common good. We can teach that while results may not be immediate, taking positive action always makes a difference, while complacency takes away their power.
You can make a difference in many ways where you live. Support the non-profits that daily do good in our community by lobbying our elected officials, supporting migrants, working with youth, and promoting diversity and inclusion. The list is long. You can look us up at davisphoenixco.org or contact us at davisphoenixco@gmail.com. We can help get you connected or provide you with opportunities to volunteer in our work.
The Davis Phoenix Coalition
rising from the ashes of hate
