Some of our most significant annual events are for National Gun Violence Awareness Weekend. That happened during the first few days of the internship, and I was amazed at how ready our interns were to dive in. The photo above was taken at one of Milwaukee’s Wear Orange events that weekend – you’d never know they had been at it for less than a week! The interns helped set up yard signs, laid out snacks and information, talked with attendees, and one of them even spoke at the press conference.
The summer wrapped up with an event our interns planned themselves, and they went big. For their Flags for Remembrance rally, they decided to plant over 700 orange flags in the ground, representing the more than 700 lives that are taken by gun violence each year in Wisconsin. They found a great venue, booked speakers and live music, and even set up an interactive art display. We owe a special shoutout to Café Corazón in Brown Deer for hosting the event, feeding our interns, and generously donating a portion of that day's proceeds.
Between these two major events, our interns tabled at a variety of other events, from farmers markets to festivals and fairs. Importantly, they learned about a wide range of topics, too, including the root causes of violence, policies that can help reduce gun injuries and deaths, and effective strategies for civic organizing.
With each one of these activities, I was amazed at their boldness, their readiness to talk with people of all ages, and the fire they brought to the work. They truly make me feel better about the future of our country. Watching their passion and their commitment to change shows me that we are headed for a brighter future, where more and more people can live lives free from gun violence.
Thank you so much for supporting WAVE Educational Fund and our youth programs.
With a warm heart,
Darrell
Program Manager and Youth Programs Lead
