(Black PR Wire) NEW YORK -- As part of the ongoing mission to confront racial hatred and gun violence, the National Urban League has designated this Sunday, June 5, “Sound the Trumpet Sunday.”

Inspired by the Bible verse Joel 2:1, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion and sound and alarm in my holy mountain,” faith leaders around the country will preach a message of racial unity and urge elected officials to support strong gun safety legislation. 

The effort coincides with National Gun Safety Month, which begins today, and employs the hashtag #SoundTheTrumpetSunday. More information is available by texting TRUMPET to 52886.

“Communities of color are being torn apart by the twin threats of extremism and easy access to destructive firearms,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said. “Heavily armed and fueled by hatred, gunmen in recent weeks have targeted Black shoppers in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York; racially-diverse commuters in Brooklyn; elderly Asian churchgoers in Orange County, California; and Latino school children in Uvalde, Texas.” 

Following the racist mass shooting in Buffalo two weeks ago, Morial called for an emergency hate crimes and extremism summit at the White House and the creation of a hate crimes task force.

“Our elected representatives in Congress have ignored this crisis for far too long,” Morial said. “Each day that passes without action to stem the tide of racial hatred and the rampant flow of guns through our communities is a mark of shame against our nation.”