Tamera Mowry-Housley made her return to daytime talk show The Real for the first time since her niece was killed in November’s mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California.
Through tears, the host made an impassioned plea to stop gun violence, while speaking about her 18-year-old niece Alaina Housley who, as a “debater,” “would want me to debate that.”
A student at Pepperdine University, Alaina died earlier this month in the shooting at Borderline Bar & Grill, a country music bar that was typically patronized by students and locals. Eleven other people were killed that day, including customers, students, bar employees, and a sheriff’s deputy, with the gunman also discovered dead at the scene.
Mowry-Housley continued to describe Alaina, whom she considered her little sister, and that Alaina would want Mowry-Housley to tackle an issue like gun violence.
“We need change when it comes to gun violence,” Mowry-Housley said. “And I don't care if I have to knock on the doors of the White House to do it, to advocate change. Alaina was very sweet, and loving, and kind."
The host shared that while she was still in mourning, Mowry-Housley had to move forward as a tribute to her niece.
“I don't like to say move on because I don't think I'll ever move on with the fact that she's not here with me or with our family,” Mowry-Housley said. “But she would want me to move forward and to use her voice as a catalyst for change. And that's why I'm here today.”
She described gun violence as an alienating issue that we should use to unite us. “We're so divided,” she said. “We should never have to fight for the safety of our children. We should never have to fight for that. That should just happen out of your heart, out of human decency.”
Mowry-Housley encouraged viewers to take action too. “I feel that if we talk to our representatives, and talk from that place, maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to move forward,” she said. “And if it's up to me, I'm going to make sure that happens.”
