A Conversation with Whitney Austin, cofounder of Whitney/Strong

With Arms Wide Open

Have you ever had one of those days? Well, Whitney Austin had herself a day on Sept. 6, 2018. In our 26th podcast episode, Whitney Austin opens up about her survival story during the mass shooting in the lobby at Fifth Third Bank Headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio.

For Whitney to survive after being shot 12 times is a miracle in and of itself, but even more incredible is how she started the nonprofit Whitney/Strong less than a month later to find common ground to end gun violence. You can download to listen, or watch now!
Watch: https://youtu.be/kX_LSr_M1yY
Our CEO Dave Calzi sits down with Whitney to talk about these topics:

• What kept her fighting on that fateful day in 2018, and how the trajectory of her life changed from that moment on?
• Whitney cofounded the nonprofit Whitney/Strong, whose mission is to find common ground to end gun violence through data-driven, responsible gun ownership solutions. She shares the initiatives her organization has spearheaded to create a safer community. This includes advice for parents on how to talk to their children about this tough topic.
• Gun rights are a divisive topic across America. Sometimes we can feel like we must choose a side—to have a gun or not to have a gun. Whitney shares the stance she believes people should take in terms of gun rights.
• Mass shootings can be a loaded term that we may not fully or accurately understand. Whitney reveals what she's learned about mass shootings in our country and encourages our audience to read "The Violence Project: How to Stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic."
• Whitney opens up about the aftermath and how she found healing from trauma, grew in her mental health, and leaned into close relationships during that season of her life.

To learn more, visit www.whitneystrong.org/.

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