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News & Updates
Welcome to the Visioning Beyond Violence Blog. Here, we share our latest news, updates, and reflections on the fight to end gun violence in America. Dive into our collection of past and present newsletters, and explore current facts, stories, and statistics that shed light on the urgency of this issue.
Our blog is a resource for those seeking to stay informed and inspired, offering both insight and practical ways to engage in this critical movement. Together, we can envision and create a safer world.
Grief Across California, Hope Beyond Violence
This week, as the holiday season begins, one community remains grief-stricken. We are confronted with the strength of community and the heartbreak of escalating gun violence across California. Amidst loss, youth leadership demands acknowledgment, not forgetting.
Dec 33 min read
Reimagining Safety-Measuring Gun Violence Beyond Statistics
Measuring gun violence makes the true scope of harm visible beyond headlines and incomplete police reports. Reliable data (including non-fatal injuries and lived experiences) helps identify patterns, reveal racial and age disparities, and guide support and prevention. Visioning Beyond Violence pairs research with storytelling and art so numbers become human, actionable, and healing because we can’t solve what we can’t see.
Dec 26 min read
A New Chapter of Hope and Healing with Visioning Beyond Violence
Every day, an average of 125 people are killed by guns in the U.S., while more than 200 are wounded. Gun violence's harm is not just physical; it perpetuates mentally, leaving deep psychological scars on millions, especially youth. Gun injuries are the leading cause of death among children. Organizations like Visioning Beyond Violence address this trauma by providing support, tools, and safe spaces centered on physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being to empower y
Nov 204 min read
Gun Violence in 2025: Why the “New Normal” Is Still Too High
Gun deaths in the U.S. are declining, but remain far above pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, the firearm homicide rate was 5.6 per 100,000—still higher than 2019’s 4.4. Each day, seven children lose their lives to guns, with Black youth most affected. At Visioning Beyond Violence, we turn trauma into vision through art, dialogue, and healing. Together, we can disrupt the “new normal” and create safer futures.
Oct 43 min read
10 Years of Art, Courage, and Community: From Vision Quilt to Visioning Beyond Violence
“What we can imagine, we can create.” In 2015, artist-activist and educator Cathy DeForest, Ph.D., a former high school teacher and a longtime believer in the power of art to heal, sat heartbroken at the rising tide of gun violence in our country. Her mind turned to the AIDS Memorial Quilt and its quiet power to transform sorrow into solidarity. And she asked herself a bold question: Could we create a similar platform for people to envision an end to gun violence, together?
Sep 264 min read
2025 Insights: Broad Public Support for Gun Safety from the Johns Hopkins National Survey
In a time of polarization, the latest 2025 Johns Hopkins National Survey of Gun Policy reveals a powerful truth: Americans agree on...
Sep 263 min read
10 Organizations Transforming Oakland: How Community Leaders Are Preventing Gun Violence and Healing Our City
In Oakland, the reality of gun violence runs deep—but so does the determination to create change. From grassroots organizers to citywide coalitions, these ten powerful organizations are not just responding to violence—they are reimagining what safety looks like, centering healing, and igniting community-led transformation. Together, they are stitching a new narrative for our city—one rooted in justice, hope, and collective resilience.
Jul 85 min read
GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION
Gun safety laws in the U.S. vary widely by state, with California, Washington, and Colorado leading new reforms in 2025. While federal efforts remain stalled, states are advancing permit requirements, assault weapon bans, and red flag laws. This article explores the current landscape, recent developments, and what the future may hold for gun policy in America.
Jun 2227 min read
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