Working Together to End Gun Violence
Gun violence is up in cities across the U.S., but by working side-by-side with communities, we can stop it.
How Can We End Gun Violence?
We applaud President Biden's announcement yesterday to expand violence interruption programming and encourage even deeper investments in community-based strategies.
Gun violence is up in cities across the U.S., but by working side-by-side with communities, we can stop it. Neighborhoods hardest hit by gun violence are often Black and Brown communities that have endured decades of disinvestment and over-policing.
An anti-violence march creates an opportunity for people to come together to denounce acts of violence and change community norms. Alongside local communities, we co-led over 30 marches last year.
Safety means more than just preventing violence and crime. Communities need economic development, help with housing, and safe, trauma-informed spaces to heal. Violence interrupters and outreach workers defuse conflict, organize community events and marches, and mentor and provide leadership opportunities for youth. We work hand-in-hand with impacted communities to conduct participatory research and implement new policies to address the root causes of gun violence, rather than perpetuate a system that causes lasting harm.
Efforts to prevent gun violence must be anti-racist and community-led.
Samantha Bee Talks about Gun Violence
Our anti-violence advocates Kellen Khelefu and Davonte Dudley joined a special episode of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee to talk with Sam about the violence interruption program Save our Streets. "Gun violence is a public health issue, so it spreads like a disease. Our goal is to disrupt the transmission of that disease," Kellen tells Sam.
Why Do Young People Carry Guns?
Young people in heavily-policed neighborhoods with high rates of violence usually aren’t eager to answer questions about guns. To understand why youth carry guns, a team of our researchers with their own lived experience spent months building trust and credibility with community members who carry weapons to truly grasp their motivations. On the New Thinking podcast, hear from three of the authors of our year-long study into young people and guns.
Listen