LOS ANGELES, Aug 1: Actress Jessica Alba introduced a group of teenagers affected by gun violence on stage at the Teen Choice Awards 2016.
“They share an unlikely bond that is hard to comprehend. They’re the brothers, sisters, daughters, and family members of recent victims of gun violence,” Alba told the audience.
“I am talking about Aurora, Baton Rouge, Dallas, Minneapolis, Orlando, San Bernardino, Newtown. It keeps happening and it has to stop. Many of those impacted by these acts of violence are teens.”
The group on stage then introduced themselves to the crowd. Among them were J.T. Lewis, whose brother was killed in the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, two of San Bernardino victim Bennetta Betbadal’s children, the siblings of Jason Josephat, who died during the shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, and Alton Sterling’s son, Cameron, reported Entertainment Weekly.
“Tonight we stand together with these teens,” Alba, 35, said after they introduced themselves.
“United in a call for peace and an end to this violence. Now more than ever we need to stop, feel, and ask, ‘What’s going on?'”
They were met with a standing ovation, and a performance from Ne-Yo, who sang Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”
Alba then continued through her tears: “These teens had the courage to come here with their grief and take a stand. Tonight Ne-Yo and I and all of us here and all of you watching need to do the same.”
Alba then asked fans in the crowd to take a photo of the teens on stage and post with the hashtag, #StopTheViolence. (PTI)
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