gun laws and committed political leadership, there exists still a proliferation of illegal handguns and the devastating price of innocent lives. That’s really what motivated me to get involved with the gun issue . . . and meeting Colin Goddard. CC: Tell me about meeting Goddard. MCC: When I heard Colin share his devastating account of being shot four times while sitting in his French class at Virginia Tech, I knew the story needed to be told in a very personal way. This horrific tragedy left 32 people dead. And the most shocking thing is that 32 people die from gun violence every day in America. Virginia Tech is unfortunately no longer such an unbelievable story—the recent Ohio tragic episode is another reminder that until federal strict gun laws are created and our violence-obsessed culture changes, we will continue to suffer these devastating acts. Colin miraculously survived and has worked as a courageous advocate for safer gun laws since. What began as a brief video to be used for public awareness and advocacy developed into a documentary. With the national attention the film and Colin received we have tried to influence policy makers around the country on the most serious issues of the day regarding gun control including the controversial debate of guns on campuses. In the same way that telling the story of our residents at HELP USA worked, sharing Colin’s personal story and that of other victims of Virginia Tech served as a tremendous social advocacy tool. Living for 32 is currently touring colleges and communities across the country with the goal of educating as many people as possible on this important issue. CC: This month on April 16th is the fifth anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting. What will you do to further spread awareness? Dress, Kenneth Cole. Earrings, Christina Addison Jewelry Designs. christinaaddison.com.
“When I heard Colin [Goddard] share his devastating account of being shot four times . . . at Virginia Tech, I knew the story needed to be told in a very personal way.
—Maria Cuomo Cole
54 | AVENUE MAGAZINE • APRIL 2012
MCC: Virginia Tech was the largest gun shooting on a college campus in the world—and it is estimated that 34 people in America are killed each day by illegal guns. We are continuing now with a new tour underway to visit additional schools and communities. CC: How did you get involved with The Invisible War documentary? MCC: Through the process of touring and marketing the film I met a courageous film team en-