Orange is the color that Hadiya Pendleton’s friends wore in her honor when she was shot and killed in Chicago at the age of 15 — just one week after performing at President Obama’s 2nd inaugural parade in 2013. After her death, they asked us to stand up, speak out, and Wear Orange to raise awareness about gun violence.

We wear orange for Hadiya and to honor the more than 90 lives cut short and the hundreds more injured by gun violence every day — and to demand action. Orange is what hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others from harm. Orange is a bright, bold color that demands to be seen. Orange expresses our collective hope as a nation — a hope for a future free from gun violence.

We are not headlines or statistics. We are mothers, sisters, fathers, brothers, and friends. We are teachers, dancers, athletes and activists. We are here and we are united. We demand to be seen and we demand to see change. There’s no more important time to get involved than this year, this summer, this day. Our country is at a turning point, and now more than ever, we have to fight for what we believe in.

June 2nd is National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Americans across the country will be wearing orange. It may seem like a simple statement — but when we all act together, we can’t be ignored. Our social networks, television screens, and communities will light up orange, standing together for a future free from gun violence.

We’re inviting you to not only Wear Orange, but to take action. Share your support on social media. Call your legislators and ask them to Wear Orange. Send a letter to your local businesses about gun safety. Host or attend an awareness event.

Join us on June 2nd, demand to be seen, demand to see change. Help us turn America orange.