Michael Franti and Spearhead performed at Red Rocks Ampitheatre in Morrison, CO, this past weekend on June 7 with Snarky Puppy and Victoria Canal.

Prior to the concert, Michael Franti  encouraged the Red Rocks crowd to wear the color orange . Why?  Because  June 7, 2019, was National Gun Violence Awareness Day.

Why the color orange? Orange is the color that Hadiya Pendleton’s friends wore in her honor when she was shot and killed in Chicago at the age of 15 — just one week after performing at President Obama’s second inaugural parade in 2013. After her death, Hadiya’s friends asked people to stand up, speak out, and wear orange to raise awareness about gun violence.

Everyday 100 Americans are killed by guns. Firearms are the second leading cause of death for American children and teens. Access to a gun triples the risk of death by suicide.

All photos by Eric Gruneisen for Rhythm Reload Magazine.