UVALDE, Texas – The Youth Peace and Justice Foundation announced on Thursday that 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos will be permanently recognized in its national Trees for Peace Youth Gun Violence Memorial.
The national violence prevention and student advocacy group was formed in the wake of the 2022 Uvalde school shooting.
Olmos, whose remains were recovered earlier this week, will be honored with a memorial tree planted in the Davy Crockett National Forest in Texas. The initiative, originally created to commemorate young lives lost to interpersonal gun violence, marks a first for the foundation: Olmos will be the first memorial tree dedicated to a victim of gun-related suicide.
Camila’s death is a heartbreaking reminder that the epidemic of gun violence has many faces, including the silent struggle of mental health crises,” said Daniel Chapin, the foundation’s founder. “By including Camila in our national memorial, we are acknowledging that every life lost to a firearm—regardless of the circumstances—is a tragedy that demands our attention and our action.
The foundation has launched an independent fundraiser to support Olmos’s family with funeral expenses until a verified family GoFundMe is established. Donations can be made online through PayPal. CLICK HERE and select Camila Olmos Memorial in the drop-down menu.
In light of Olmos’s death, the foundation is intensifying its advocacy for preventative measures. Chapin called for comprehensive gun safety education and mandatory safe storage requirements, emphasizing that proper education and secure firearm storage could prevent impulsive tragedies.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
The foundation continues to offer 24-hour peer and professional support to youth and community members in need, accessible online or by phone at (254) 499-8027.
National Headline
