Are you running for office?
Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence Action (TUA) is dedicated to recognizing candidates running for local, state, and federal office who support common sense and evidence-informed gun violence prevention (GVP) legislation and practices that will make our schools and communities safer. We proudly name these candidates our "Honor Roll" Candidates.
Please note: Although the Teachers Unify Action Honor Roll distinction is not an "endorsement," it's a way to recognize and amplify candidates committed to raising the voices of educators on the issue of gun violence and taking action to make school communities safer. Endorsements my be given after careful review by our team on a case-by-case basis.
Complete our Teachers Unify Action Questionnaire.
ENDORSEMENTS | 2025
Karen McDonald
Michigan Attorney General
Karen McDonald, a former teacher, is the first candidate Teachers Unify Action has endorsed in any state attorney general race. Karen says, “educators need to be at the forefront of our gun violence conversation if we are going to solve this public health crisis.”
When tragedy struck at Oxford High School in 2021, Karen sat with the families of victims and turned her community’s grief into bold action. Securing landmark convictions in the Oxford prosecutions was incredibly important, but she didn’t stop there. Karen subsequently launched the Commission to Address Gun Violence, engaging a cross-cutting group of experts to identify actionable, community-based solutions. Following that, Karen created the foundation All of Us, because far too often individuals in distress fall through the cracks and aren’t noticed until after shots have been fired and a school, city, or workplace becomes a trending hashtag on social media.
Karen’s actions send a clear message: as a state and a country—we can do more to prevent gun violence.
Honor Roll Candidates | 2025
Keith O. Williams
Birmingham, AL City Council, District 6
Keith is a survivor of gun violence who is committed to safe communities. He says, “In Birmingham, gun violence doesn’t just take lives, it takes futures. In District 6, we feel it in the silence after a shooting, the empty seats in classrooms…”
Keith recognizes the impact of gun violence on educators. He says, “Educators see the impact of gun violence every day—they hold grieving students, manage fear in classrooms, and fight to keep learning alive.”
Ricky Twigs, Jr.
Mayor of New Orleans, LA
Ricky is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-S) and a survivor of gun violence.
He says, “Guns are now the leading cause of death for children in Louisiana, and New Orleans holds the nation’s highest murder rate. As a trauma counselor I’ve watched teenagers relive the sound of gunfire in therapy, mothers choose between funeral costs and rent, and neighborhoods lose their public space to fear. Preventing gun violence isn’t just a public-safety goal; it is a public-health imperative that determines whether our city can keep families, attract businesses, and heal its civic soul.”
Erika thomas
Timpanogos School Board, UT, Seat 2
Erika has been an educator for the past 18 years and is committed to amplifying educator voices on the issue of gun violence.
She says, “Utah is one of the most permissible gun states in the Union. Over half of our gun incidents involve high schools or k-12 schools. I will work to ensure our schools are safe, students have optimal learning environments, and teachers are supported.”
Justice Horn
Jackson County Legislature, MO, 1st District At Large
Justice says, “Gun violence isn’t just a statistic—it’s a crisis that’s taken too many lives, especially young Black men who should be here running for office alongside me. I’ve been to far too many funerals of my peers, and each loss is a reminder that our county must act with urgency. As a Gen Z multiracial candidate, I understand that preventing gun violence isn’t just about policy—it’s about equity, opportunity, and saving lives.”
He says, “Educators, school staff, and administrators are the backbone of our communities, yet their voices are often left out of critical decisions that shape the future of our schools. I will ensure they have a seat at the table.”
Liz Winer
Cheney, WA, School Board Director, District 2
Liz is a mom, a teacher, and the wife of a professor.
She says, “Students should always feel safe at school. I’m tired of hearing about yet another school shooting happening and nothing changing as a result….students deserve to be safe from gun violence at home and at school.”
Liz values the importance of a strong relationship between administration and teachers, ensuring all voices are heard with open communication.
Deyanira Nevarez Martinez
Lansing City, MI, Council Ward 2
Gun violence prevention is deeply personal to Deyanira. She lost a friend a colleague to a gun when Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot. And as a professor at Michigan State University and faculty advisor to her sorority, Deyanira supported one of her students who was shot during the mass shooting on their campus.
She says, “As a professor, a school board member, and someone whose own campus experienced a mass shooting, I understand how critical it is to center the voices of educators, school staff, and administrators in conversations about gun violence.”
Amanda Quillin
Chesapeake, Virginia, School Board
Amanda, an educator, understands “how often those closest to our students are left out of conversations about safety, even though they’re on the first line of defense and support.”
She says, “I believe policy must be informed by the lived experiences of those in our schools every day. I will actively create space for educators and staff to speak on issues of school safety and gun violence prevention.”
Tanya Cook
CA State Assembly, District 70
For Tanya, gun violence prevention isn’t just policy—it’s personal.
She says, “A close friend lost his son in the Uvalde shooting, and I carry that pain with me every day on this campaign. No parent should fear sending their child to school, and no child should be afraid to learn. We need common sense gun laws that protect our communities and keep firearms out of dangerous hands.”
Rafael A. Perez
San Diego, CA, City Council, District 8
Rafael lost a family member in a mass shooting, so this is an issue that’s personal and important to him. As a college adjunct and an active member of his teachers’ union, he is committed to using his platform and connections to help curb gun violence.
He says, “Gun violence is a public health crisis rooted in systemic neglect of Black and Brown communities.”
Ivan Diaz
MI Senate District 29
Ivan is committed to elevating the voices of educators and exploring all pathways to curb gun violence.
He says, “I constantly fight to uplift the experiences that my community has had with gun violence in an effort to fix it. We have constant violence in our communities and our politicians have the power to do something about it.”
JEREMY RODDEN
Chesapeake, Virginia, School Board
Jeremy believes that teachers deserve a seat at the table when it comes to decisions about safety — both locally and nationally. As a former educator and union member, and as an advocate for marginalized communities, he understands and is committed to communities who are disproportionately affected by gun violence.
Blaizen buckshot bloom
Virginia House of Delegates, 89th District
Blaizen attended public school in the district in which he’s running and calls himself a member of the “Parkland generation who viscerally understands the fear gun violence introduces and the absolute necessity of protecting students and teachers—it erodes the very foundation of a safe learning environment.”
He says, “The voices of educators, school staff, and administrators are too often overlooked, despite being on the front lines. I believe they are essential stakeholders, and assuring them a genuine ‘seat at the table’ is crucial.
Jonathan Redeker
NY, Orange County Legislator, District 2
Jonathan is a 20-year veteran educator who is committed to working to curtail the scourge of gun violence in Orange County and beyond.
He says, “Educators are key voices in speaking out against gun violence. Too often, we are on the front lines of the battle in horrific incidents in schools, but no one listens to us. I would work with teachers and the teachers’ unions to help get more support in legislation changes.”
pAST CANDIDATES OF DISTINCTION | 2024
Liz Barker
Sarasota, FL School Board (Winner)
As a mother of four young children, Liz believes that the threat of gun violence - particularly in our schools - is the most important issue of our time.
She adds, “the fact that firearm related injuries continue to be the leading cause of death for children in the United States, despite being preventable (and considered to be a public health crisis by the US Department of Education), is outrageous.”
Jacinta Greene
Alexandria, VA City Council (Winner)
Jacinta Greene is the proven leader we need on the Alexandria City Council. As two-term school board member and Former Vice Chair of the Board, she has pushed to improve Alexandria Public Schools, while serving as a champion for both our students and teachers. If elected to the City Council, Jacinta will use her experience on the school board, her time as a community leader, as well as her work in corporate America and as a business consultant to fight to preserve what is great about Alexandria and ensure more people can share in.
Lauren Jewett
Louisiana Democratic State Central Committee (Winner)
"I have lost five students to gun violence during my fifteen years of teaching, with four of those students being in just the last five years. I understand the complexities of grief and emotional difficulty that gun violence has on our classrooms.”
Valerie Simutis
Local School Board Chicago High School (Winner)
"As a Black woman and a survivor, (the issue of gun violence) is personal to me. The seat I'm seeking has a direct impact on students and the school staff. The student body at the high school is primarily Latinx and Black so it’s important that the decisions being made keep in mind the importance of safety for the students, staff and the surrounding community."
John Arthur
Utah State Board of Education: District 7
"As an educator of color in a beautifully diverse, culturally rich Title I school, I have seen over and over again the devastating immediate and long-term impacts gun violence has had on our community. When I have a seat on our state school board, I will be in a position to positively contribute to the crafting of school safety policies that keep children in our communities of color safer from the disproportionately high rates of gun violence and firearm related crime. I will also support policies that bring greater mental health professionals into our schools to help us prevent gun violence before it happens.
Sarah Harrison
Wisconsin State Assembly: District 15
“Together, we can work towards a future where every child can learn and thrive in a safe environment, free from the threat of gun violence.”
We believe wholeheartedly in this goal and are eager to support Sarah’s work as an ardent community advocate. Let’s go, Sarah!
Rhiannon Ford
Osbourn, AZ Governing Board (Winner)
“Together, we can work towards a future where every child can learn and thrive in a safe environment, free from the threat of gun violence.”
We believe wholeheartedly in this goal and are eager to support Sarah’s work as an ardent community advocate. Let’s go, Sarah!
Emily Busch
Michigan’s 10th Congressional District
“In the two years since the shooting at my son’s high school advocating for gun violence prevention measures to be taken at the local, state and federal levels has become the centerpiece of my personal and professional world.”
“In addition to the compounded impact of living in a constant state of fear of being harmed or killed by gun violence, gun violence remains the number one killer of kids in the United States.”
Emily Busch will fight for common sense measures to make our schools and communities safer. Follow and support her today!