Angela Ferrell-Zabala and the Moms are Taking on the Gun Industry, One State at a Time

Episode SummaryKate sits down with Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action — one of the largest grassroots gun violence prevention organizations in the country — for a conversation that is equal parts inspiring and eye-opening. They talk about what really drives gun violence in America (hint: it's way bigger than school shootings), what regular moms can actually do about it, and why Angela still has hope.What You'll HearAngela shares how growing up watching her mother and grandmother show up for their community planted the seeds for a lifetime of advocacy. She talks about what it felt like to become a mom of four and how that deepened her sense of urgency around keeping all kids safe, not just her own.Then they get into the real stuff: the full picture of gun violence in America. Kate gets honest about her own learning curve: coming in mostly worried about school shootings, and realizing the issue is so much bigger. Angela walks through some stats that might surprise you (like the fact that Black Americans are 12 times more likely to die from gun violence than white Americans, and that guns are now the leading cause of death for children and young people in the U.S.).They also talk about what's actually working, including wins in red states that never make the headlines, and what you can do right now, no matter how busy or overwhelmed you are.Topics CoveredHow Moms Demand Action started at Shannon Watts' kitchen table after Sandy Hook and grew into a nationwide movementWhy gun violence looks very different depending on where you live - and why all of it mattersThe difference between the gun lobby and actual gun owners (spoiler: a lot of gun owners support common-sense reforms)What the NRA's influence actually looks like today — and why it's not what it used to beThe Be SMART program and why asking "is there a gun in your home, and is it locked up?" is as normal as asking about a pool fenceWins from 2025What's on the agenda for the 2026 midtermsThe Students Demand Action movement and why young people give Angela her biggest source of hopeGet InvolvedText READY to 64433 to join Moms Demand Action in your state.About Angela Ferrell-ZabalaAngela Ferrell-Zabala is the Executive Director of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of the Everytown for Gun Safety network. A mother of four, she has spent her career working on reproductive health, immigrant rights, education, and economic justice — and brings that whole-person lens to the fight to end gun violence.