I'm Kami Kay- the founder of Civilian. I was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I (like most American kids these days) grew up doing active shooter drills in school.  While we did have a couple "scares" -it is something you kind of carry with you for basically the rest of your life. 

 

I experienced quite a lot of death while growing up, but it wasn’t until I lost a close friend to gun violence as a teenager that the reality of how fragile life is truly sank in. It was a moment that forced me to face a harsh truth: we can’t take ours (or anyone else's') safety for granted. All you really have to do to know why we exist - is turn on the news.  

 

When I started looking for a solution, all I found was tactical gear. I saw bulky, military looking, solutions which quite frankly doesn't appeal to everyday Civilians.