Hi there! If you are not familiar with who I am, please get the chance to meet me in this bio below:

My name is Celeste Iroha. I am a young 29 year old Nigerian-American woman who has been advocating for Gun Violence for the past 15 years of my life in my community. I'm a Survivor of Gun Violence and this organization is one that holds high importance & has important meaning for me. 

My experience with Gun Violence started when I was 12 years old when I had to bury my older cousin (who was like an older brother) in DC after he was shot and killed. That was my first funeral of my life I had to attend with my family. 

A couple of years later, I would lose two of my closest friends to Gun Violence. One who came to the United States to have a better life and bring his family here to live with him from Africa but his life was sadly taken away by Gun Violence two weeks after arriving to the United States as he was on the job as a caregiver. My other closest friend who was like a brother to me in high school was shot and killed during his birthday weekend and we didn't find out he was murdered until the Monday morning after when no one could reach him. 

I could go on and on about all the loved ones I have lost to Gun Violence in this country and state of Maryland alone, but the pain would break me from writing. The last thing I will share about who I am is that I was also held at gunpoint on my college campus, shot at as I was leaving, due to being in a former abusive relationship with an ex-boyfriend but I am still standing here and I'm still advocating for others. 

It's nice to meet you all. I hope to make my loved ones proud and hope to have you support us 🧡