Teens from the South and West sides of Chicago gathered Downtown to pitch ideas for anti-gun violence social media campaigns. The event was part of Project Unloaded’s summer youth employment program, which aims to prevent gun violence through education and cultural campaigns.

Personal Stories Drive Campaigns

For many of the students, the issue of gun violence is personal. Kingston Tate, a 10th-grader at Butler College Preparatory High School, lost his father to a shooting in 2022. Tate said he was initially closed off after his father’s death but learned that opening up to others about his experiences could help enlighten his community and fight against gun culture.

Aria Hardy, a freshman at Malcolm X College, also shared her personal story. Hardy said she had attended “teen takeovers” in the past, which sometimes resulted in shootings and arrests. She emphasized the need for safer communities where young people can have fun without fear of violence.

Campaign Ideas

The students presented various campaign ideas, including vertical videos, Instagram carousels, and partnerships with influencers. The winning campaign, T.R.A.P. (Teens’ Risk Around Gun Presence), urged teens to break away from the trap of gun violence. The campaign used bold visuals, such as red, spray-painted text saying, “7X more likely to get shot by a partner if a gun is in the house.”

The students also proposed branded merchandise and partnerships with local politicians and influencers. Luis Delgado, a senior at North Side College Prep, suggested partnering with influencers and alderpeople to amplify the campaign’s message.

Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.