Gun Violence: A Public Health Crisis

The tragic problem of gun violence is not a
political issue but a public health concern
of epidemic proportions. Nearly 40,000
people died from gun violence in the U.S. in
2018, two thirds of them from suicide. This
was the highest level of gun violence in 20
years.
The Coalition Against Gun Violence (CAGV)
has been working for over 24 years to
create a safer community, to raise the
awareness of the potential dangers of
firearms through education and
awareness. CAGV supports reasonable gun
violence prevention legislation to ensure
gun safety at the local, state, and national
levels. CAGV focuses on keeping firearms
away from irresponsible people.

Our Speaker: Toni Wellen is the Chair and co-founder of the Coalition Against Gun Violence, a Santa
Barbara County Coalition with over 40 partner organizations. Toni, a resident of Carpinteria, is a
Marriage & Family Therapist. She previously worked for The National Council on Alcoholism and as an
elementary school teacher. Toni earned degrees from the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, UCLA, UCI,
and Chapman University. She and her husband Larry have four children and seven grandchildren.