It wasn’t until I attended my first Moms Demand Action meeting that I realized I was a survivor of gun violence. I became involved with Moms after the recent mass shooting in my hometown of Buffalo, New York. While I was not directly affected by that shooting, it deeply moved me to do more to make our world safer for our children. I always thought of my dad’s suicide as a mental health issue, not a gun issue. After my first Moms meeting, I realized that it was indeed a gun issue as well, and that I am a survivor. While it is still taking me some time to acknowledge and process that, I hope that in the future I can share my experience and help others.