Rev. Deanna Hollas, Gun Violence Prevention Ministry Coordinator

The Reverand Deanna Hollas, Gun Violence Prevention Ministry Coordinator with the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship and the co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, Texas, was in the Philadelphia area over the weekend and I was able to attend two events where she spoke.

She talked about her own background growing up in Texas in a hunting family and was candid about her level of understanding of the urban gun violence issue. However, in her talk “Unmasking the Powers Behind Gun Violence” she made it crystal clear, through a well researched history of the gun industry, that the prevalence of guns and their easy availability is a marketing and corporate profit issue.

With an acute understanding of what faith communities can or cannot do in terms of getting involved in political issues, she urged all to think of the issues and address what would help solve specific issues in the fight against the gun violence epidemic, rather than suggesting candidates. She is a proponent of joining with Moms Demand Action as they are well researched on these issues and can provide specific ways to make our opinions count.

She spoke, too, about the need to reach people in their hearts, not just their minds. In my experience working with this project for over 4 years now, that is exactly what the portraits do. I have heard it countless times from people that experience the exhibitions and come away with a new appreciation for the cost of the gun violence and with a better understanding of the far reaching and long lasting pain it causes families and communities.

Education is also key as is coming together of communities of different backgrounds and experiences to better tackle the issue.

The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, which has been an unflagging supporter of the Souls Shot Portrait Project, hosted one of the events along with Oxford Presbyterian Church, and Cedar Park Presbyterian Church, the latter two being in Germantown and Mt. Airy. There are plans to form action groups from the three churches and involve other communities of faith, as well, to take concrete steps forward in this battle.

Laura Madeleine, Executive Director