Birthday: 8th June 1970
Who is Gabrielle Giffords?
Gabrielle Giffords is a gun advocate and politician who represented Arizona in the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2012. However, after an assassination attempt, she had to resign from the position in 2011. The incident left her with a severe brain injury. She and her husband now run a non-profit organization called America for Responsible Solutions, which advocates gun control in the USA.
Their organization joined with the Law Centre to Prevent Gun Violence in 2012 to formally become the Giffords. She had also worked in economic development projects in Arizona before she was elected to the House of Representatives.
After she failed the assassination attempt, she has been able to recover her ability to read, write, walk and speak fluently. She resigned in 2012, gathering huge ovations from her colleagues.
Fact About Gabrielle Giffords:
- She was born Gabrielle Dee Giffords on 8th June 1970 in Tucson, Arizona.
- Her father was Jewish, while her mother was a Christian scientist, thereby experiencing both religions.
- She is a second cousin to Gwyneth Paltrow, an American actress, through her father.
- She was a girl scout during her school days.
- She graduated from Scripps College in 1991 after studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American history and sociology.
Best Gabrielle Giffords Quotes
"A person's future shines very brightly. Find your purpose and go for it. Tomorrow one can decide to change the whole world."
"Make sure that you are bold, brave, and do your best in whatever you decide to do."
"I will ensure that while I am gone, I will be stronger. I will be back bigger and better."
"Our country has the ability to solve any problem that we encounter. However, we must come together to ensure that we are able to complete the task."
"Faith and hope. It is very important for every human being to be hopeful no matter the challenge."
"One of the things I do is that I listen to all my constituents. By listening to them, I am in a better position to make better and sound decisions. It's important to always listen to every party before making a haste decision."
"I always fight very hard to ensure that we live in a better place. Everyone should get themselves involved in society and be a leader in your field."
Gabrielle Giffords Biography
Early life
Gabrielle Giffords was born on 8th June 1970 in Tucson, Arizona. Her mother was Gloria Kay, while her father was Spenser Giffords. Her mother was a Christian scientist, while her father was Jewish. Her paternal grandfather was from Lithuania and moved to the USA to avoid being Semitic. American director Jake Paltrow and actress Gwyneth Paltrow are her cousins through her father.
Education
Giffords attended Tucson University high school during her teen years. She later attended Scripps College, where she graduated with honors in sociology and Latin American history in 1993.
She also studied in Mexico under a scholarship. She returned to the USA in 1996 and graduated with her master's in Regional Planning from Cornell University.
Marriage
She married Mark Kelly in 2007. Her husband is a US senator and NASA astronaut. They are blessed with two children. The couple run their non-profit organization from Arizona which they established after the failed assination attempt on her.
Work
Gifford initially worked at Price water house in New York as an associate before running for office in Arizona. Through the Democratic Party, she won the Arizona seat to the House of Representative office in 2007.
As a congresswoman, Giffords championed an increase of federal officers at the US-Mexico border. These sanctioning businesses employed illegal immigrants and tax reductions. She was also on the committee that dealt with technology and innovation in the country.
Gun Control Advocacy
Before her failed assassination attempt in 2011, Giffords had opposed the law that prohibited people from owning guns as a means of self-protection in Washington. In 2013, after her recovery, she championed for guns to be kept off from criminals and terrorists so that they could not hurt other people or themselves.
She was also championing to stop gun trafficking and reduce the magazine size of all guns. After the Las Vegas shooting, she advocated for guns to be controlled to reduce people's mass killing.
Other Stands
During her time in Washington, she advocated for the national government to raise the debt ceiling. She also supported that public schools should be well equipped and financed by the government. She also helped the use of renewable sources of energy to reduce costs.
Legacy and Honors
A US- navy combat ship was named USS Gabriel Giffords to honor her while still recovering from her wounds after her 2011 assassination attempt. Her initials were plated on the vessel after she attended the honorary ceremony in 2013.
