Four Years Later: The Tree of Life Shooting and an Interview with our Executive Director
By: Jessie Pritchard
Four years ago today, the world was shocked by the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. On Saturday October 27, 2018, a gunman, armed with an AR-15 assault rifle, and at least three handguns, entered the synagogue during Shabbat worship services. He opened fire indiscriminately, murdering eleven congregants and injuring six others.
The massacre, the deadliest assault against the Jewish community on U.S. soil, hit too close to home for former University of Pittsburgh student Kathryn Fleisher. In the aftermath of the attack, she mourned, marched, and rallied, but inevitably, time tamped down public outrage and the promise of action. Kathryn knew more was needed, so she established the nonprofit organization Not My Generation (NMG). As NMG Founder and Executive Director, Kathryn’s goal was and is to build a network of coalitions uniquely focused on localized, intersectional gun violence prevention advocacy created and implemented by young adults.
On the fourth anniversary of the Tree of Life tragedy, in a year where the incidences of gun violence, antisemitic attacks, and other instances of identity-based violence are rising, Kathryn looks back at what inspired her to create NMG, and ahead at the work that still remains.
Q: Why and how did the Tree of Life shootings ignite the inception of NMG?
KF: For me, this attack very literally hit close to home. At the time, I was working in the Jewish community in Squirrel Hill and living a mile from the synagogue. This attack happened to my people in my place. It was too personal and traumatic to ignore.
Q: What does the name ‘Not My Generation’ mean to you and the organization?
KF: When we work with older generations engaged in issues of gun violence, the response we get is “I’m sorry we left this mess to you.” While well intentioned, this passes the responsibility for the gun violence epidemic to us, the current generation of young people. Our name means we refuse to leave this responsibility to the next generation as it has been left to us.
Q: How does the NMG coalition model work? How is this supporting local organizing?
KF: The idea of our coalitional model is to bring together people across lines of difference to proactively build safer, healthier, and more just communities. Training these local organizers and providing them with resources and support is our way of empowering them and their work. We see our primary role as preparing and providing resources for those who are doing advocacy on the ground.
Q: What advice do you have for local organizations and people interested in activism?
KF: It is never too late to get started. No amount of work is too little. Showing up and reaching out are great ways to begin doing this work. Reach out to NMG to get started with us! We are here to support emerging activists and to connect folks to local movements and organizations.
Q: How can people support Not My Generation and its mission?
KF: Get involved on the level that feels appropriate to you. Whether it is a few extra hours a week or a few extra dollars a month, we welcome you to join our community of dedicated supporters, our collective fight to eradicate gun violence and identity-based hate crimes, and build a radically different future.
Join our team or donate now to support our mission.