After 22 years in law enforcement, I’ve learned a simple truth: violence can find you anywhere, but police can’t always be there when it does.
During my career with the Tulsa Police Department, I served in Narcotics, Gangs, Street Crimes, and Patrol. I’ve seen the very worst of humanity – from violent assaults to victims who waited desperately for help that came too late. That reality taught me that while I proudly wore a badge to protect others, every person must ultimately be prepared to protect themselves.
That’s why I founded Women for Gun Rights, a national organization dedicated to educating, empowering, and equipping women to be their own first responders. For the past decade, we’ve worked with thousands of women – mothers, students, professionals, and survivors – helping them gain confidence, training, and the ability to be their own first responders.
Yet outdated, nonsensical laws still stand in the way. A woman who has completed training, passed the required background checks, and lawfully carries a firearm for self-defense in her home state becomes a criminal the moment she crosses a state line. That’s not safety – that’s senseless. It’s like saying your driver’s license only works in the state where it was issued. Our constitutional rights don’t vanish at the border, and neither should our right to self-protection.
Women for Gun Rights proudly supports Rep. Richard Hudson’s Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (House Resolution 38) because it’s common-sense legislation that ensures concealed carry permits are recognized nationwide, just like driver’s licenses. This bill eliminates the confusing patchwork of laws that currently punish law-abiding citizens for traveling with the tools they need to defend themselves. More importantly, this legislation will allow all law-abiding Americans to protect themselves from harm, even when in another state.
Our support of HR38 is echoed across the nation. A Quantus poll conducted in October 2025 found that 77% of Americans support allowing law-abiding citizens to defend themselves rather than wait for police. Sixty-four percent support making concealed-carry permits valid nationwide. Eighty-eight percent say criminals don’t follow gun laws, showing deep skepticism toward gun control legislation that continues to pass in Democrat controlled cities and states.
These conclusive findings are no surprise to me. Across the country, women are taking responsibility for their own safety. From Atlanta to Albuquerque, I’ve met women who refuse to be victims – women who understand that being prepared isn’t political, it’s practical.
Like all things in Washington, passing this legislation won’t be easy. But it’s necessary. We’re calling on women everywhere to contact their representatives in Congress and the Senate and demand passage of this bill.
Lives are literally on the line. We owe it to every woman who walks to her car alone at night, every mom who wants to feel safe while traveling, and every survivor who refuses to be a statistic.
Our rights don’t stop at the state line – and neither should our ability to stay alive.
