New Yorkers Against Gun Violence
Katina Mantis Johnstone, Founder
Katina Mantis Johnstone is a founding member of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV), a nonprofit organization working to eliminate gun-related violence and committed to educating the public about health and safety issues of gun violence. NYAGV believes that sensible regulation of the manufacture, distribution, sale, possession and use of firearms will prevent the more than 32,000 annual firearm deaths and countless that occur in the United States every year.
In 1994, Mrs. Johnstone cofounded and helped organize the first “Silent March – Americans Against Gun Violence.” The national protest brought hundreds of gun violence opponents to Washington D.C. and delivered to the steps of Capitol Hill almost 40,000 shoes representing individual victims of gun violence. In 1998, NYAGV coordinated a Mother’s Day march at the offices of Smith and Wesson, the largest gun manufacturer in the world. The group also helped initiate a lawsuit against the hand gun industry, claiming that the gun manufacturers negligently distribute their products, causing handguns to be available to children and criminals. The suit also claims that the industry has knowingly failed to change their marketing, distribution and production practices to prevent such access. In May 2000, NYAGV was an organizer of the Million Mom March held in Washington D.C.