Baldwin alumna
Rebecca Pryor '05 joined New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Martin Luther King III, along with 32 others affected by gun violence, to organize support for background checks for gun purchases. Rebecca was a classmate of
Alexandra Wake, the Baldwin freshman who tragically was killed by her stepfather in 2002.
Mayor Bloomberg held the news conference Monday, January 24 in the wake of the fatal shooting in Tucson, AZ. He called for changes to the way background checks are conducted for gun purchasers. In a harrowing procession, 34 individuals approached the podium one by one and gave personal accounts of how gun violence has touched their lives. Mayor Bloomberg took the stage after the testimonials and said, "34 people have spoken. That's because there are 34 deaths from handguns in America every single day." He called on President Obama to lead the charge to enforcing the existing laws.
Alex Wake was a gentle, talented 14 year old student at Baldwin when she became the victim of a horrific act of domestic violence that took not only her life, but that of her mother and grandparents on January 15, 2002. A hard working, intellectual Baldwin girl, she was empathetic and believed in building bridges and breaking down walls. Alex was a member of our cross country and track teams, so Baldwin honors her memory and celebrates her life each year at the Alex Wake Memorial 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk.
This year, the Alex Wake Run/Walk will take place Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 9:00 AM.