About Walk the Talk America
Raised in an urban environment that shunned gun culture by a pro-2nd amendment (“2A Community”) family with ties to the rearm and sporting industries, WTTA Founder Michael Sodini is known by many as the most “un-gun gun guy”. Since 2009, he owned and operated his family’s successful firearm company (Eagle Imports). A chance encounter one evening in 2018 changed everything when Michael and his National Sales manager invited a stranger to join them at their dinner table. The conversation naturally shifted to gun violence in America. The young woman asked, “What happens when there is a school shooting?” Michael explained that one side blames the gun while the other side blames mental health. Because of this, unfortunately, nothing is ever resolved. The woman then asked, “Well, how do you as an industry work with mental health if you have identified the problem? It would make sense that the two industries work hand and hand.”
A spark went off in Michael’s head. All too often, firearms owners were foregoing mental health services for fear of losing their firearm rights, while many mental health practitioners lacked the training to properly serve members of the 2A Community. In July 2018, Michael founded Walk the Talk America to address the issue head-on.
Our Mission
Walk the Talk America is dedicated to bridging the gap between mental health and responsible gun ownership. Our mission is to enhance the perception of mental health among gun owners while elevating the standard of mental health care within this community. Walk the Talk America is uniquely positioned as an organization that integrates the wisdom of gun-owning mental health professionals, offering innovative solutions derived from real-world experiences.
Our Plan
We have created alliances between the leading experts and organizations in the firearms and mental health industries. They have the knowledge and proper call to action to reach those who may want the help but have either been ignored or simply have been too afraid to seek help because of the misconceptions that come with mental illness. We have also established commitments from several experienced and concerned colleagues in the firearm industry that are willing to donate their time, resources, and money to help. Historically, both industries have cared deeply about this issue but have never been connected. WalktheTalkAmerica.org is a way to bring people together. The professionals and academics from both industries are moving forward with combining efforts, information, and resources to achieve our vision for the future.