Friends, family and fans – Riot Fest invites you to join us in supporting the Chicago-based gun violence prevention awareness campaign #WearOrange to help raise awareness about the fight to end gun violence.
In January of 2013, Chicago resident and high school student Hadiya Pendleton marched in President Obama’s second inaugural parade. A week later, she was shot and killed at a playground on the South Side of Chicago. Shortly after, Hadiya’s loved ones donned the color orange in commemoration of her death, referencing the visible garb worn by hunters in the woods to prevent accidental gunfire.
On June 2 of 2015, on what would have been Hadiya’s 18th birthday, a nationwide coalition joined together to honor her life and raise awareness for gun violence prevention just like her friends and family did after her death. #WearOrange saw over 30,000 supporters its first year, including more than 100 nonprofit organizations, corporate brands and cultural influencers.
The following year, #WearOrange expanded by eight times, drawing the attention from the likes of President Obama, Kim Kardashian, Steph Curry and more than 300 other organizations and individuals. More than 150 public buildings donned orange, from the NASCAR Hall of Fame to Niagra Falls.
Now, as we enter the 2017 anniversary, the Riot Fest staff will be joining the ranks and show its support on June 2 by dressing in orange themselves. With your participation and support on June 2, the #WearOrange message will spread even further in 2017!
For more information about #BeatsOverBullets and #WearOrange, visit WearOrange.org.
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