At some point, words are not enough to respond to tragedies like those in Buffalo, NY, and Uvalde, TX. The National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) believes that “some point” is today. We cannot rest until all Black and Brown communities are safe and cared for in America. We cannot live in a world where people fear going to the grocery store or to school. We won’t get there with words alone. We need thoughtful, evidence-based approaches to gun violence prevention and school safety that won’t bring more harm to our Black and Brown communities. This is not the time to talk about weaponizing our schools. It’s time to act on gun safety and invest in the well-being of our students when they are at school. Arming teachers has not proven helpful but restricting access to weapons and increasing resources to help teachers and counselors support students’ social-emotional development and mental well-being have. For those of you who are struggling to help children deal with these crises, please see NBCDI’s Helping Children Respond and Cope resources. In addition, our partner, Sesame Street in Communities, has a set of Community and Gun Violence resources to help children and families cope with shootings in their communities.