Project Unloaded

The Violence Prevention Initiative at California Department of Public Health is hosting a webinar on public health strategies to reduce firearm violence—featuring insights from the California Roadmap and new research report from our Risk Education to Prevent Gun Violence( November, 2025) report Learn about:  • 8 prevention strategies  • Policy approaches to firearm risk education  • How communities can take action Register now and be part of the solution: https://lnkd.in/gJyGB2Zy

In our April newsletter, Project Unloaded’s founder Nina Vinik puts a spotlight on the growing, well-oiled ecosystem often referred to as Guntube and how our influencer engagement program - which is the largest program of its kind on the issue of gun violence prevention - aims to counter some of the lies young people are seeing via Guntube. Preview her monthly letter to our community here on LinkedIn and sign up for the full newsletter via the link in the comments. #GunViolencePrevention #PublicHealth #Youtube #GunTube #ProjectUnloaded

Powerful conversation featuring Dr. Selwyn O. Rogers Jr., founding director of the University of Chicago Medicine Trauma Center, and member of Project Unloaded’s Board of Directors on the Health & Veritas podcast hosted by Yale School of Medicine professors Harlan Krumholz and Howard Forman In the episode, Dr. Rogers reflects on what it means to “bear witness” to gun violence, not just as a surgeon, but as someone supporting families in their most difficult moments. His message is clear: Gun violence is not just an individual issue, but a shared societal responsibility. At Project Unloaded, we’re grateful for Dr. Rogers’ leadership, compassion, and commitment to advancing public health solutions that can help communities stay safe. Check out the full conversation at the link below: https://lnkd.in/eBDKSwZh

Join us for the One Aim Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Summit via Zoom on April 15th, 2026: Policy Briefing: 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM CT Funders Panel: 6:00 PM-7:30 PM CT Our founder Nina Vinik will join policy experts, fellow gun violence prevention advocates, gun violence survivors, and key stakeholders from across Illinois and the nation. They'll share key updates on gun violence policies in Illinois, build a shared understanding of their roles in the gun violence prevention landscape, and create space for meaningful dialogue with decision makers. Register here: https://lnkd.in/g2JcU8RD

Exciting Summer Opportunity with Project Unloaded in Chicago! Project Unloaded is hiring a part-time facilitator in Chicago to lead our flagship 6-week summer program. Facilitators will work with high school students to build their social media marketing skills, educate them about the risks of using guns, and empower them to spread that message to their peers through social media. If you’re passionate about working with teens, social media, and making a real impact in your community, this is a great opportunity to step into. Take a look at the job description below or on our website here: https://lnkd.in/eaz9-JF3

How did you spend spring break? Project Unloaded partnered with After School Matters to host our “Social Media for Safer Communities” community program for teens. Shout-out to Chalkbeat Chicago’s Reema Amin for this great story. Over the course of the week, teens explored how social media can drive real-world impact, unpacked the realities of how guns affect community safety, and created original content to shift the narrative among their peers. The program culminated in the teens presenting their ideas to a room full of their peers and special guests. Their presentations were thoughtful, strategic, and rooted in a clear message: we are safer without guns. Surveys of participants showed powerful results: - A 30-point drop in teens who believed living with a gun would make them safer - A 13-point drop in those who believed carrying a gun would increase their safety - Interest in future gun ownership fell from 17% to 0% - 65% of participants agreed they can use social media to create positive change in their communities. That is how we change gun culture – by equipping young people not just with information, but with the tools and confidence to influence their peers. Grateful to our collaborators The iO Theater for their support of these teens, and to Project Unloaded's Olivia Brown,MPH, CHES for her leadership. And most importantly, I’m grateful to the young leaders who are shaping a safer future. https://lnkd.in/gsZ6aHCP

I recently spoke with Laura Bassett for Marie Claire about where the gun violence prevention movement is headed. One theme continues to surface in my work: policy change alone won’t solve this problem. We must address gun culture too. For decades, the conversation has centered on regulation and what lawmakers can or cannot do. Meanwhile, a powerful set of cultural narratives has gone largely unchallenged: who needs a gun, what it represents, and why ownership feels necessary in the first place. Those beliefs are often formed in the teen years - before most people engage with policy. When young people are given the space, information, and agency to interrogate those narratives for themselves, many grow less interested in future gun ownership. Reducing demand for guns will save lives for generations to come. That’s the work we’re leading at Project Unloaded and it’s essential to building a safer future. https://lnkd.in/gvUyS3Pa

Important report out of University of Virginia Research highlighting how fear and social media are influencing youth experiences with gun violence. We’re proud to have our work referenced in this report as a noteworthy approach to educating young people about the risks of having a gun via the platforms where they’re spending their time. At Project Unloaded, we see every day that young people are not fixed in their beliefs about guns, but they are navigating a culture that often tells them guns equal safety. Still when they’re given facts and space to reflect, many move away from interest in a gun. Grateful to be part of the ecosystem working toward a future where fewer young people feel the need to pick up a gun in the first place.

In our March newsletter, Project Unloaded’s founder Nina Vinik reflects on how our work adds to existing harm reduction strategies in the field of gun violence prevention and shares some insights into how we can inspire the next generation to decide against getting a gun. Preview her monthly letter to our community here on LinkedIn and sign up for the full newsletter via the link in the comments. #GunViolencePrevention #PublicHealth #YouthLeadership #CommunitySafety

Are you 15-20-years-old? Are you passionate about reducing gun violence? Need more reasons why YOU (or a young leader you know) should apply to join our Youth Council? Hear all about it from Paige, a first-year member of the Youth Council and don't forget to apply by April 26th! Learn more about the position below and fill out this form to apply: https://rebrand.ly/YCapp26