Wear Orange Sunday 2026
#WearOrange, Sunday – June 7
Thousands of our American brothers and sisters will wear orange at events throughout the month of June to support National Gun Violence Awareness Month and honor survivors and victims of gun violence. Let us take time as a faith community to pray for those who have lost their lives to gun violence and those who have survived and/or have been traumatized by the epidemic of gun violence in our country. May our prayers lead us to commitment and actions to reduce this epidemic. We invite you to join the Diocesan Gun Safety Working Group and Wear Orange for Weekend Services on Saturday and Sunday, June 6th and 7th. Learn more about Wear Orange Sunday and what you can do to support gun violence prevention at the national Wear Orange website (https://wearorange.org/), Bishop’s United Against Gun Violence website (https://bishopsagainstgunviolence.org/), and Episcopal Peace Fellowship website (https://www.episcopalpeacefellowship.net/liturgicalaction/).
Why Wear Orange?
On January 21st, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old high school student from the south side of Chicago, marched in President Obama’s 2nd inaugural parade. One week later, after finishing final exams, Hadiya was shot and killed a mile from the Obamas’ Hyde Park home. Hadiya’s friends asked their classmates to commemorate Hadiya’s life – and the lives of hundreds claimed by Chicago’s gun violence each year – by wearing orange. They chose orange because hunters wear the color in the woods to protect themselves and others. Now, many in the gun violence prevention community choose to wear orange in memory of those we have lost, and as a symbol of standing against gun violence and in favor of reasonable gun sale and ownership regulations. On June 7th, let’s honor the more than 38,000 Americans who were killed with guns and more than 26,000 injured last year, and in particular remember and pray for the 101 persons killed and 79 injured by gun violence in San Diego and the greater Episcopal Diocese of San Diego area this past year. Join in and Wear Orange and bring awareness to the epidemic of Gun Violence. Please contact Paul.j.conry@gmail.com if interested in receiving a packet of gun safety informational brochures and orange ribbons to help observe Wear Orange Sunday.