John—

On Saturday, January 8, I said the Pledge of Allegiance.

In and of itself, this isn’t particularly noteworthy, unless you consider the time: 11 years to the day since I was shot, and the place: the January 8 memorial that opened in Tucson one year ago. The memorial, Embrace, is meant to represent walking into healing arms and features petroglyphs that represent each victim and survivor.

I recited the Pledge in front of survivors and supporters united by both tragedy and resilience. At the conclusion of the beautiful program, a bell rang 19 times: six times for the people we lost on January 8, 2011, and 13 for those who were injured.

After the ceremony, I greeted old friends and met new ones before walking into the memorial itself. When I posed in front of the memorial, which was recently profiled by PBS NewsHour, I wanted to look fierce to capture the spirit of Tucson. My community came together in the aftermath of tragedy and is now stronger than ever before.

Next, Mark and I went to lay a wreath in front of the Safeway where the shooting took place. There was no press, no friends or onlookers. It was just us, and, together, we remembered.

Our last stop of the day was at the Gabe Zimmerman Memorial Trailhead. Gabe was my staffer, taken from us at just 30 years old. We called him the “constituent whisperer.” The inscription on the memorial at the trailhead says it best: “Gabe lived a life of exuberance. You should too.”

This anniversary was both happy and sad. The grief for who and what we lost that day will never go away. And yet, there is light and joy in the remembering. Every day, more and more Americans experience the toll of gun violence firsthand—and anniversaries like mine remind us of why we’re in this fight to save lives.

I’m so very grateful for everyone near and far who commemorated the anniversary with me. Your words of support, your donations, and your willingness to fight this fight mean more than you can ever know.

All my best,
Gabby Giffords

PS: I’d love it if you would read and share this op-ed I wrote for the Washington Post and this feature in Rolling Stone.

For over 25 years, the legal experts at Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence have been fighting for a safer America. Led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Giffords Law Center researches, drafts, and defends the laws, policies, and programs proven to save lives from gun violence.

This email was sent to [email protected].

Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
268 Bush St. #555
San Francisco, CA 94104

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