LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Gun violence prevention advocates are launching a statewide campaign this June, declaring it “Silence the Violence” Month of Action, with 19 events planned across Michigan.
The initiative, led by faith leaders, survivors, and community organizers, began as a local march on Detroit’s east side in 2007. What started as a grassroots response to a series of deadly shootings has since grown into a statewide movement, calling for legislative change and community healing.
“We are taking our pain and turning it into power,” said Pastor Barry Randolph of Church of the Messiah, the Detroit congregation that organized the first march. “Now, we’re also marching to celebrate the new gun laws we’ve won that are already saving lives.”
This year’s campaign comes as organizers continue to push for additional reforms—calling on lawmakers to support measures that hold gun manufacturers and sellers accountable when their products are used in crimes. Advocates say while recent legislative wins have made progress, there’s more work to be done.
“Violence impacts all of our communities, but it does impact us all differently,” said Lauren Jasinski, an organizer with End Gun Violence Michigan. “We’re responding in unique ways, each making a contribution to the state. The only way we’re going to stop these horrible and preventable tragedies is together.”
The campaign’s signature event—the Detroit Silence the Violence March—will take place Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to noon at Church of the Messiah on East Grand Boulevard. The march will begin with a rally featuring local elected officials, including U.S. Senate candidate Elissa Slotkin and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. It will conclude with a community resource fair.
Organizers say the goal of the month is to transform grief into action—and build a safer future for communities across Michigan.
Silence the Violence – June 2025 Event Schedule
May 24 – Flint
Location: Sylvester Broom Empowerment Village, 4119 Saginaw St., Flint, MI 48505
Time: 1:30 – 3:30 PM
Event: March and Speakers
June 4 – Lansing
Location: Anderson House Office Building, 124 N. Capitol Ave. (13th floor), Lansing
Time: 10:45 AM
Event: Press Conference with Legislators to Hold the Gun Industry Accountable
June 6 – Detroit
Location: Spirit of Detroit, 2 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226
Time: 11:00 AM
Event: Kickoff Press Conference – WEAR ORANGE
June 6 – Grosse Pointe Woods
Location: Grosse Pointe Woods City Hall, 20025 Mack Plaza Dr.
Time: 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Event: Silent Vigil
June 6 – St. Joseph
Location: 914 Lane Dr., St. Joseph, MI 49085
Time: 6:00 PM
Event: Candlelight Vigil
June 7 – Detroit
Location: Church of the Messiah, 231 E. Grand Blvd., Detroit
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Event: Press Conference and March
June 7 – Ypsilanti
Location: Prospect Park, E Cross St., Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Time: 12:00 – 4:00 PM
Event: Community Outreach Event
June 8 – Flint
Location: Vernon Chapel AME Church, 5802 Dupont St., Flint, MI 48505
Time: 10:45 AM
Event: Guest Speaker and Gun Violence Prevention Display
June 11 – Virtual
Time: 10:00 AM
Event: Interfaith Training for Clergy on Using Michigan’s New Gun Safety Laws
Registration: Register here
June 12 – Muskegon
Location: 650 Wood St., Muskegon
Time: 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Event: “Violence Knows No Boundaries” – Youth-Led Community Conversation
June 13 – Canton
Location: Heritage Park, 1150 S. Canton Center Rd., Canton Twp., MI 48188
Time: 1:00 – 11:00 PM
Event: Gun Violence Prevention Booth at Liberty Fest
June 17 – Virtual
Time: 7:00 PM
Event: Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO) Training
Registration: Register here
June 21 – Ann Arbor
Location: St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 1679 Broadway St., Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Time: 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Event: Resources and Remembrance Service
June 21 – Grand Haven
Location: Downtown Grand Haven, ending at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 524 Washington Ave.
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Event: Silent March and Speakers
June 28 – Oxford
Location: Centennial Park, 41 S. Washington St., Oxford, MI 48371
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Event: Speakers and March
June 28 – Saginaw
Location: Bethel AME Church, 535 Cathay St., Saginaw, MI 48601
Time: 3:00 – 6:00 PM
Event: Giffords Documentary Screening and Panel
June 28 – Detroit
Location: O’Hair Park, 19400 Pembroke Ave., Detroit, MI 48219
Time: 3:30 – 6:00 PM
Event: CWR Annual March and Rally
Ongoing Events
Every Saturday in June – Berkley
Location: Disarmory Ministries, 2312 Greenfield Rd., Berkley, MI
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Event: Gun Buyback Program
Wednesdays–Sundays in June – Detroit
Location: Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), 4454 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48201
Event: The Gun Violence Memorial Project
