JT Lewis

Joseph Theodore Lewis (born May 18, 2000) is an American school safety advocate. Lewis started Newtown Helps Rwanda, a charity that raised money for survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide as well as former child soldiers in Uganda. He previously was a candidate in the 2020 elections for Connecticut state senator for the 28th district, dropping out before the August primaries to work on a national campaign. His younger brother Jesse Lewis was a victim of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

Early life and education JT Lewis was born Joseph Theodore Lewis on May 18, 2000, He was in seventh grade when his six-year-old brother Jesse Lewis was killed alongside 19 other grade one students in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 14, 2012. Lewis was raised on a farm with his younger brother and they had horses, dogs, and chickens, which their mother bought in 1998. Several days after the shooting, former president Barack Obama met with Lewis, his mother, and the victims' families at Newtown High School. Lewis recalled the event years later saying that "President Obama treated me with the utmost respect and class. More importantly, [he] honored my brother's memory." Lewis attended Newtown High School and was on the varsity football team, graduating in 2018. Lewis attended University of Connecticut as a political science major.

Advocacy and politics Lewis, middle row second from right, speaking to U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, in 2018. After the shooting, Lewis became an advocate for trauma victims and founded the organization Newtown Helps Rwanda, which raises money for relatives of the victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide to attend college and also participates in other causes. As a gesture of gratitude to the survivors, Lewis founded the organization to raise money for their education. After a few months of fundraising, the organization raised enough money to send several survivors to college and have raised over $35,000. The award was presented to him by singer Ne-Yo and actress Jessica Alba. He also met with singer Justin Timberlake after the ceremony. He attended with his mother Scarlett and sat next to Andrew Pollack, father of Meadow Pollack, a victim of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, two seats away from the President. He shared his ideas about how to improve school safety with the President and other commission members. After the meeting, Lewis had a private moment with the President in the Oval Office. Though he was running as a Republican, Lewis has expressed himself as a unifying figure and working with all lawmakers.

Political views Lewis is a member of the Republican Party and has said he is supportive of president Donald Trump and his administration. He supports improving national background checks on gun purchases. He criticized the non-profit organization Sandy Hook Promise for using graphic images in their PSAs about school shootings.

Personal life In 2013, in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, JT's mother Scarlett started the non-profit Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement.

Awards Teen Choice Awards, Courage Award, 2016.