Youth Voices Rising: How Students Are Leading the Fight Against Gun Violence
“If arming more people meant that we would be safer, we would be the safest country on earth..” — Shannon Watts
Together Towards Peace (TTP) unites students from South Chicago, Highland Park, North Lawndale, and Albany Park to address gun violence. This unique opportunity empowers youth to share experiences, lead, and create meaningful change. Our third session certainly was one to remember. We focused on preparing for our final projects with inspiring guest speakers and student-led discussions. The purpose of this month’s session was to sharpen students’ voices and strategies and connect with the guests to shape their end project.
A majority of the day revolved around students interviewing our influential guest speakers to gain insights and plan for their final projects at the end of our program as well as discuss actionable steps towards gun violence prevention. We were proud to welcome the following speakers for spending the day with our students.
- Garien Gatewood, Deputy Mayor of Community Safety
- Lakesia Collins, Illinois State Senator
- Bob Morgan, Illinois State Representative
- Chris Patterson, Director of Gun Violence Prevention Program at Crown Family Family Philanthropy
- Shunda Collins, Vice President at Institute of Nonviolence Chicago
- Sam Castro, Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships
- Jadine Chou (Former Chief of Safety and Security at CPS)
The Format
Students prepared interview questions for each guest to spark open, two-way dialogue aimed at broadening perspectives and deepening understanding of the issue. In small groups of six, students engaged each guest for 10 minutes before the guest rotated to the next table. At the end, each group shared key insights and lessons learned from the discussions.
In this photo, Deputy Maryor Gatewood and the group are talking about the interconnectedness of resource management in Chicago communities.
“It’s not just about the lack of resources, it is the lack of resources coupled with the access of guns, coupled with disinvestment, they (decision makers) have intentionally decided that they are going to destroy particular communities.” — Garrien Gatewood
Students had lots of follow-up questions, engaging in some healthy back-and-forth.
KJ:
“What can you do to stop or reduce gun violence in the community?”
“You guys are starting by talking about it. Society is in a bubble, we don’t talk about it. We’re all on our phones, we don’t talk to people with different ideas. For example, I believe 16 year olds should be able to vote about these issues. — Represenative Bob Morgan
Through the different exchanges, students built confidence and strengthened their critical thinking skills. They refined their questions, pushed past surface-level ideas, and tackled complex issues with greater depth. These real-time interactions helped them challenge assumptions, adapt their approach, and lead meaningful conversations — key steps toward becoming effective problem solvers and thoughtful leaders.
Student from Highland Park:
Q: “How do kids like us, the youth, really get involved in starting to talk about and expressing how we’re affected by gun violence?”
Lakesia Collins:
“You all are the experts…honestly. You have a bunch of adults sitting around in a room, trying to address an issue that impacts you the most. Whether that’s gun violence, your education, your community, YOU all are the ones we need to be listening to. You want to pay attention to the laws that are being passed, so you can have a voice in that.
Reflecting the Past, Acknowledging the Present and Future
In this picture, the group is making connections to the past, present, and future. Looking back the knowledge and skills they have gained, reflecting on what they want to accomplish by the end of the day and setting goals for the near future.
4 Wings of Movement Collaboration & Solidifying Project Ideas
After lunch we started with the planning process for project ideas and facilitators started by introducing a model of team culture known as the 4 wings of movement. Students were assigned to tables by school and where to review a list of project choices and narrow down their focus to at least 2–3 choices from the following list:
- Activism Against Pro-Gun Politicians and Organizations
- Storytelling, Op-Eds & Letters to Lawmakers
- Invite National Gun Violence Groups to Teach Protest Strategies
- Create Podcasts, to Spread Awareness
- Educational Activism through School-Wide Events
- Partner with Local Community Groups for School Projects
- Anonymous Story Drop Boxes
- Fundraising for National Student-Led Anti-Gun Violence
- Student-Led Healing Circles
- Music, Poetry, Art Events
- Cross-School Storytelling & Support
In past sessions, students tended to lose focus after lunch — but not this time. As soon as Jessica asked them to make some noise for each school, they erupted with energy. The excitement carried through the afternoon, with students staying locked in on project planning while still cheering each other on and smiling through the work.
Roosevelt High School
The students at Roosevelt named their project “Chicago Through Global Youth Ways” to explore life in Chicago, focusing on gun and gang violence, safety, and policy. They plan to engage peers outside the program in conversations about their experiences and hopes for change. As they shared, “Yes, we have this beautiful community that we’re all in together, but there are also other people out there that don’t have this chance to talk about their stories.”
Baker College Prep
Students shared that art is meaningful to all their coaches, inspiring their first idea, “Peace of Art” — a project featuring creative expressions like singing and poetry. Their second idea, “BOTT” (Building Our Community Together), focuses on teaching youth how to engage in politics and protest peacefully. Lastly, drawing from the earlier “4 Wings of Movement” discussion, they want to use the butterfly concept to symbolize spreading their voices through a podcast on gun violence. They plan to document all three projects in a short film.
DRW College Prep
The students plan to launch a YouTube channel featuring personal stories about gun violence and came up with a creative way to share them — by wearing T-shirts with QR codes linking to the videos. These shirts, worn at school and in the community, will also include support resources. They also plan to place two bins in a public space: one for anonymously sharing experiences or answering questions like, “What steps are needed to address gun violence?” and another for those who want to include their name. The entire process will be documented through photos and videos and shared on the school’s website.
Highland Park High School
The students’ main idea is to lead educational activism during homeroom and school events. To raise awareness, they plan to sell pins with a slogan they’ll create, using the funds to support nonprofit organizations working to end gun violence. Their second idea is to paint a mural under a bridge in Highland Park — a highly visible spot — to spark community awareness and dialogue around the issue.
These powerful conversations, bold ideas, and creative solutions are just the beginning. The passion and determination shown by these young leaders reflect a deep commitment to creating real, lasting change. The students of Together Towards Peace are only beginning to scratch the surface of their potential. As they continue to refine their projects and challenge the status quo, they’re setting an example for how youth can drive meaningful action against gun violence. The real work begins now — turning plans into impactful change, inspiring others to join the fight, and holding leaders accountable. These students are ready to lead the way.
