Surviving gun violence; advocating for change

In this episode, we hear from two women whose lives have been dramatically impacted by gun violence. 

 

Jarren Peterson Dean is a special education teacher living in Plymouth, MN with her husband and young son.  In 2014, Jarren's boyfriend, James, was shot and killed near their home in Minneapolis. Jaren has been involved in a variety of social justice issues, including restorative justice, which she talks about in this episode. 

Shannon Johnson lives in rural Chisago County and works as a client support team manager for a technology company. In 2017, Shannon’s dad, Donn, was killed by their neighbor less than a ¼ of a mile from their family’s farm in rural Minnesota. Shannon and her dad shared a love of outdoor activities, such as hunting and sport shooting. She is an advocate for sensible laws that allow for responsible gun ownership, while preventing the sort of tragedy she and her family has experienced. 

 

Jarren and Shannon received Survivor Fellowships from Everytown for Gun Safety, which allowed them to learn how to use their experiences as a force for positive change, working with Moms Demand Action to end gun violence. More stories of victims and survivors can be found here.