Stoneleigh Emerging Leader Fellow Oronde McClain is featured by Billy Penn for his work supporting gun violence survivors and creating a bridge between the survivor and journalist communities.
Central to the idea of a solutions-based approach to gun violence reporting is keeping the people and communities affected at the center of coverage.
Oronde McClain was only 10 years old when he was shot in the head while waiting for a SEPTA bus in East Mount Airy, leaving him critically injured and in a coma for seven weeks.
His struggle with trauma and journey of healing has been long and hard, but has also informed his work now as one of Philly’s leading advocates for gun violence survivors and role as the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting’s Survivor Connection director.
