Why I Wear Orange
Four and half years ago, on a cloudy December afternoon, I was sitting at a picnic table in Central Park with some girlfriends, watching our 9-year-old sons play baseball. Suddenly, our smart phones began to ping simultaneously with a news alert: School shooting reported in Connecticut. As the pings revealed increasingly grim details about that horrible day, our group went from chatting animatedly about holiday plans…to silence. Two of the mothers began to cry. I’m guessing many of you also remember where you were when you first heard about Newtown.
And if not Newtown, then Columbine. Or Virginia Tech. Or The Pulse in Orlando.
But here’s the thing. Twenty kids (and six adults) were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary on December 14, 2012. And it was devastating. It still is. But, every week in this country, an average of 35 kids are killed by gun violence. Every. Week.
To me, it’s unfathomable that we’ve made so little progress on this issue, with Newtown almost five years in our rearview mirror. I don’t care who you voted for or where you fall on the political spectrum, this isn't about choosing sides, it's about saving lives.
Which is why today, June 2, National Gun Violence Awareness Day, I am wearing orange to mark the 90+ Americans (7 children plus more than 85 people over the age of 18) that will die today—that, in fact, die every day in this country from gun violence (typically in a domestic dispute, a suicide...or an accident)—and to show compassion for the families and friends they leave behind. I hope you will join me, and thousands of other Americans today, by wearing orange too. Why orange? It's the color hunters wear to stay safe—to tell others, don't shoot. And if you choose to support the Wear Orange campaign on social media, please include the tag #WearOrange.
I'd also like to acknowledge my friends in the beauty and fashion industry who've created products specifically to support and help boost awareness of the 2017 Wear Orange campaign. Please wear—and share—them too.
Sassy Lips Lipcolor in Can You See Me Now? is a gorgeous, easy-to-wear, shiny lip hue (with a tiny flower tucked inside, like a boat in a bottle) that morphs from orange to a vibrant peachy-pink on your lips. It’s named for the 2017 Wear Orange theme.
The Maryn x A.E.U Studio Wear Orange Tote is a roomy canvas tote adorned with original art by Anna Ullman (whose day job is creative director of MOTHER Denim). The Maryn founder, Michelle Adams, is also a former NYC editor—and current Ann Arborite—like me.
Vapour Beauty Elixir Lipgloss in Awaken is a sheer gloss that hydrates the lips and provides a subtle pop of universally-flattering coral color.
