Instagram Julianne Moore

Oh Fabricio! Who knows what this it but I love it!@fabricioormonde

For this week’s #WomanCrushWednesday, I’d like to feature Erica Yamauchi (@lovealwayseri) from Honolulu, Hawai’i. Erica is a Volunteer Leader in the @momsdemand Hawai’i chapter and has been involved in the movement since Moms Demand Action was formed in 2012.Although Erica lived in Hawai’i as a child, she also spent some of her formative years in rural North Carolina. While a high school student there, one of Erica’s best friends was shot and killed after another friend gained access to a firearm. This tragic experience, along with having children of her own, has made her a strong advocate for secure gun storage. Reflecting on why this is important to her, Erica says, “When I started a family…I realized how much we have chosen to normalize everyday gun violence in our lives. That’s when I decided to be part of this movement.”With 60% of gun deaths in Hawai’i being by firearm suicide, Erica brings her background and experience in trauma-informed care as Director of Communications and Engagement in the Office of Wellness and Resilience in Hawai’i’s Governor’s Office (@govhawaii) to the gun violence prevention movement. Her passion and dedication to saving lives has made her one of the Hawai’i chapter’s longest-serving volunteers, playing an integral role in growing the chapter’s base and community partnerships.“It’s been an incredible experience to see our informal, mostly online group of concerned citizens morph into an organized statewide chapter across several islands here in Hawai’i,” she said.As we celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) Heritage Month this May, I am honored to uplift Erica’s story and her tireless work to save lives in Hawai’i.

Meet Jamie Oberheu (@oberheuj) of Waterloo, Iowa: a second-grade teacher, @momsdemand local lead, and this week’s #WomanCrushWednesday. Jamie, with 15 years of teaching experience and a fervent commitment to gun safety, found her advocacy propelled into greater significance when, last Friday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds discreetly signed a dangerous bill into law. This legislation grants all school employees the ability to carry firearms within schools with qualified immunity, despite significant opposition from the people of Iowa. This decision, which follows a mass shooting at Perry High School, has stirred Jamie to speak out: “As a result of this tragedy, our governor and state legislators are passing a bill that arms teachers and school personnel. This is absurd: allowing more guns will not remove guns from schools. It makes it even more dangerous.”The decision made in Iowa is deeply upsetting —schools ought to foster an environment of education and growth, not one tainted by fear and violence. Jamie’s choice to join Moms Demand Action reflects her refusal to accept the status quo of school shootings and reckless policies. Instead, she took action by becoming a local chapter lead, educating her community through @besmartforkids, and participating in and completing the Demand a Seat program to become a Gun Sense Candidate.Jamie’s dedication, along with that of many others in Iowa, who are speaking out against the shortcomings of their elected officials, is truly inspiring. Let’s stand with them by texting IOWA to 644-33, demonstrating that we refuse to accept this decision and are committed to voting for school safety in November.

“Mary sees a lot of herself in George” ????Julianne Moore and Oliver Hermanus break down an important scene between mother and son in #MaryAndGeorge

In my Easter outfit. ????@annieruthsymons #maryandgeorge @starz @skytv

Julvonnia McDowell is my #WomanCrushWednesday. Julvonnia is an incredibly passionate Survivor Membership Lead with @MomsDemand and a Senior Fellow with @Everytown Survivor Network.In 2020, I had the privilege of meeting Julvonnia and listened to her journey as a mother whose 14 year old son, JaJuan, was taken by gun violence.  While visiting family for spring break, JaJuan was shot and killed by another teen playing with an unsecured firearm. When expressing her grief to me and other survivors, Julvonnia emphasized, “there are so many gun owners who think, ‘my child is not going to touch it,’ but you never know…when a child gains access to an unsecured firearm [there are] consequences that can happen.” Today, Julvonnia works to prevent unintentional shootings by children through her advocacy with Be SMART, a public education campaign that spreads awareness on how secure gun storage—storing guns locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition—can save children’s lives. On the heels of Everytown for Gun Safety’s latest research marking 2023 as the year with the highest number of unintentional shootings by children, Julvonnia’s story is more important than ever. “Behind every statistic are real stories of kids like my son JaJuan and too many other families like mine…This is an issue we all need to worry about, because whether it’s your gun or not, believe me, it could be your child.”I am moved by Julvonnia’s strength and determination as a mother, survivor, and an advocate for keeping children safe. For more information on secure firearm storage and the most effective ways to protect children from unsecured firearms, visit BeSMARTforkids.org and follow @besmartforkids @foreverjajuan7_jai

My daughter put some Minnie ears on Wiley’s butt and then sang her this improvised song on a ukulele

@alexachung lifts the bedsheets on untold Jacobean history with Mary & George & Me, watch on @SkyTV and @NOWTV. #MaryAndGeorge