Like mothers across the country,Julianne Moorestruggled with how to explain the horror of the 2012Sandy Hook Elementary Schoolshooting to her own children.On December 14, 2012, she had taken her then 12-year-old daughter with her to work in New York City. “I didn’t want her to hear the news on the radio or television or have someone tell her, ” recalls Moore, who wanted to wait until her husband, director Bart Freundlich, and their son, Caleb, were also home so they could discuss the shooting as a family.“I was so careful that day to keep the news away from her,” says the Oscar winner, 57, who is amongPEOPLE’s 25 Women Changing the World. “My idea was I was trying to protect my child. And we were decorating the Christmas tree and waiting for her dad and her brother to come home and she looked at her brand-new phone and she said, ‘Mommy, did a bunch of little kids get shot today?’WATCH: Meet the Inspiring Women Demanding Action on Gun Violence Prevention“And I was absolutely devastated. That was the moment when I realized that I wasn’t doing anything to keep her safe. That if I didn’t do something about gun violence, then I wasn’t being a responsible parent. I wasn’t being a responsible citizen.”Across the country in Colorado, another mom,Shannon Wattsfelt the same way — and was moved to found the nonpartisan group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, which soon drew Moore’s support.“Shannon always says, ‘If we lose our children, we have nothing left to lose.’ Women have been so incredibly instrumental in this movement because you’re like, ‘You’re threatening my family. You’re threatening my children. And you have a government that seems incapable of doing anything about it — even common-sense gun safety measures. That’s when you get really, really angry. And so now we’re seeing this tremendous movement that Shannon built, and all of these women who’ve walked right into it because they feel compelled to keep their children safe.”Julian DufortFor full coverage of PEOPLE’s 25 Women Changing the World, pick up this week’s issue, on newsstands Friday.Today, Moore heads the creative council of Everytown for Gun Safety — which, along with Moms Demand Action, is now the largest gun violence prevention movement in the country. And Liv has now joined her mom as an activist in the group’s newest branch: Students Demand Action.“My mom created a path for me to build my confidence and join the movement,” says Liv. “Watching her do this work since I was really little makes me really proud.”Students Demand Action, which just launched earlier this year, “has already grown so, so much,” adds Liv. “And just looking at people in my school, everyone’s paying so much more attention to the issue. I don’t think there’s any reason to not believe in it.”
Like mothers across the country,Julianne Moorestruggled with how to explain the horror of the 2012Sandy Hook Elementary Schoolshooting to her own children.
On December 14, 2012, she had taken her then 12-year-old daughter with her to work in New York City. “I didn’t want her to hear the news on the radio or television or have someone tell her, ” recalls Moore, who wanted to wait until her husband, director Bart Freundlich, and their son, Caleb, were also home so they could discuss the shooting as a family.
“I was so careful that day to keep the news away from her,” says the Oscar winner, 57, who is amongPEOPLE’s 25 Women Changing the World. “My idea was I was trying to protect my child. And we were decorating the Christmas tree and waiting for her dad and her brother to come home and she looked at her brand-new phone and she said, ‘Mommy, did a bunch of little kids get shot today?’
WATCH: Meet the Inspiring Women Demanding Action on Gun Violence Prevention
“And I was absolutely devastated. That was the moment when I realized that I wasn’t doing anything to keep her safe. That if I didn’t do something about gun violence, then I wasn’t being a responsible parent. I wasn’t being a responsible citizen.”
Across the country in Colorado, another mom,Shannon Wattsfelt the same way — and was moved to found the nonpartisan group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, which soon drew Moore’s support.
“Shannon always says, ‘If we lose our children, we have nothing left to lose.’ Women have been so incredibly instrumental in this movement because you’re like, ‘You’re threatening my family. You’re threatening my children. And you have a government that seems incapable of doing anything about it — even common-sense gun safety measures. That’s when you get really, really angry. And so now we’re seeing this tremendous movement that Shannon built, and all of these women who’ve walked right into it because they feel compelled to keep their children safe.”
Julian Dufort
For full coverage of PEOPLE’s 25 Women Changing the World, pick up this week’s issue, on newsstands Friday.
Today, Moore heads the creative council of Everytown for Gun Safety — which, along with Moms Demand Action, is now the largest gun violence prevention movement in the country. And Liv has now joined her mom as an activist in the group’s newest branch: Students Demand Action.
“My mom created a path for me to build my confidence and join the movement,” says Liv. “Watching her do this work since I was really little makes me really proud.”
Students Demand Action, which just launched earlier this year, “has already grown so, so much,” adds Liv. “And just looking at people in my school, everyone’s paying so much more attention to the issue. I don’t think there’s any reason to not believe in it.”
source: people.com
