What's triggering our approach

A Note from our Founder

On Tuesday, the nation’s top doctor, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, declared gun violence a public health crisis, proposing a range of measures for preventing and curbing widespread trauma caused by pervasive gun violence. Specifically, he recommended applying the successful playbook used to curb cigarette use, including the use of evidence-driven public health education campaigns.??

That’s a playbook we know well at Project Unloaded - we model our approach after the Truth Initiative’s effective work to move teens away from cigarette smoking and have learned from many of its leaders.??

?In the early 2000s, teens made smoking cigarettes go from cool to uncool in the span of a?generation thanks in large part to creative campaigns that educated them on tobacco’s? risks. Imagine what today’s social media-savvy teens can do, if armed with the facts about using guns. They can provoke a generational shift that will save lives.

That’s why Project Unloaded works to reach teens on social media with campaigns that are engaging, shareable, and fact-based. We know from our research that teens aren’t sure where to go for information about guns, but they want more information on whether or not they should get one. And we know that once exposed to the facts on gun risks, teens are less likely to be interested in gun ownership and gun use.?

Through social media campaigns and teen-focused community partnerships, we’re rewriting the narrative on guns in America and inspiring teens to spread the message that we’re Safer Not Using Guns.

If you’re as hopeful as I am that a safer future is within reach, please donate today to help grow our teen-fueled work to stop gun violence.

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