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JustTable: Memorializing the January 8th Tragedy

On First Sundays throughout 2018-2019, from 12:30-2:00pm, a lunch is provided and a speaker from a local organization is invited to give a presentation. Out of respect for what the many local agencies do with grace, humility, deep knowledge, and training, we invite the experts, and look for ways in which our vocation of bearing Christ’s light in the world might meet with their vocation. After each conversation, next steps and prayer intentions are provided as we trust the Holy Spirit to guide us into how to seek and serve Christ in our local community.

On January 6th we welcome Crystal Kasnoff and Pam Simon to JustTable. They will share with us the process of developing the Memorial and the fruits of their engagement with local, state and national government, local organizations and the Tucson community.

Crystal Kasnoff

Crystal is the past Executive Director for the Tucson's January 8th Memorial Foundation. Prior to her position with the foundation, Crystal worked at UMC during the time of the January 8th tragedy. She also personally knew several of the victims and survivors of the tragedy.

Crystal currently is employed with Northwest Fire District and enjoys working with those who strive to help and heal the community. She lives in Tucson with her husband, Larry and has one adult daughter, Kaylyn. She and her husband attend Elements City Church.

Pam Simon

Pam Simon served as the community outreach coordinator for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords following a career of two decades teaching middle and high school. On January 8, 2011, while staffing the congresswoman at a Congress on Your Corner event at a local grocery store, Pam was shot in the arm and the chest. Twelve others including the congresswoman were wounded and six people died on that day.

Upon retiring from the congressional office, Pam helped launch the Mayors Against Illegal Guns’ “Demand a Plan” initiative that asked the 2012 presidential candidates to offer a plan to reduce gun violence. Since that time she has spoken out in local, national, and international news media interviews, documentaries, rallies, and forums, written op-eds, and given keynote addresses. She has been featured in The Atlantic, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, HuffPost Live,  and NBC Nightly News, among other outlets.

Pam served for two years on  the staff at Everytown for Gun Safety and has worked with numerous organizations as a voice for common-sense gun legislation, including Moms Demand Action, Arizonans for Gun Safety, Moms Rising, Organizing for Action, Gun Violence Prevention Arizona, and Giffords, and the United Methodist Task Force on Gun Violence.  Pam received the True Champion Award from the Arizona List and was honored at the White House as a Champion of Change in 2014.

She lives in Tucson with her husband Bruce and has two adult children and two grandchildren. Pam is active in St Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church.

The presentation will be in the Murphey Gallery.

No RSVP is necessary, thank you for joining us.

Earlier Event: January 6
First Sunday Music: January
Later Event: January 7
Newcomer Reception