Check out our new campaign Working On It 🧠
Young people are at the heart of everything we do at Project Unloaded. Our teen and young adult leaders are the creative engines behind our social media campaigns, reaching their peers with the life-saving message that guns make us less safe. Project Unloaded is proudly supported by two teams of young people. Our Youth Council advises on upcoming campaigns, shapes our digital presence, and develops their own creative and community projects to engage their networks around the message that we’re safer unarmed. In 2024, we expanded our opportunities for young leaders, with the formation of our inaugural Creator Corps, which focuses on social media strategy and content creation. Get to know them below:
Our Youth Council consists of 22 leaders aged 15-20, who serve as advisors and creatives behind our campaigns to spread the message that Gen Z is safer without guns around.
Aarna Suresh (she/her) is a high school junior currently living in Mountain House, California. She is very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to helping change the stigma around gun violence, which has not only affected her, but millions of youth across this country. She is excited to work with Project Unloaded to create a lasting impact on young people’s ability to live safer and stronger. Outside of her usual advocacy work, you can find Aarna cozied up with a homemade matcha rewatching her favorite New Girl episodes. She hopes to come out of her experience on the Youth Council with impacts made and minds changed.
Aicha Sy (she/her) is a rising sophomore at The George Washington University, originally from Martinsburg, WV. She is currently studying Political Science and Public Policy. By growing in various environments from the big city in Washington, DC to good ol’ country roads in West Virginia, she has seen first-hand how gun culture affects anyone and everyone, especially youth in the United States. Outside of Project Unloaded, she is active in the West Virginia Legislature, her school’s Student Government, and several other organizations. She loves baking, cooking, and being creative!
Anabelle Sanchez (she/her) is a sophomore at Michigan State University from Chicago, Illinois. After experiencing a lockdown at a mall, along with attending a university recently impacted by gun violence, Anabelle is passionate about promoting civic advocacy with Project Unloaded to change the culture surrounding guns to make society safer. Anabelle loves to scrapbook, go out for walks, and visit museums. This year, Anabelle plans to travel more and expand ways to further connect with others.
Anvika Jain (she/her) is a high school junior from Dripping Springs, Texas. After several personal interactions with gun violence, she has become a strong advocate for changing the cultural narrative surrounding firearms. As a member of Project Unloaded’s Youth Council, she’s excited to continue amplifying teen voices and promoting safer communities. Anvika is also an avid speaker with the National Speech and Debate Association and TED-ED, a dedicated member of her school’s mock trial team, and a youth lobbyist with various nonprofit organizations. In the future, she hopes to continue her advocacy work and ensure that all voices, especially those of young people, are heard.
Cacelie Gooden (she/her) is a recent high school graduate from Hartford, Connecticut, and an incoming first-year student at Washington University in St. Louis, where she plans to study political science and global studies. Growing up in a community often misrepresented as “violent,” she is committed to dismantling harmful stereotypes and working toward a safer, more equitable future for all. As someone passionate about creative writing, she has had both poetry and nonfiction published in literary journals. She is also deeply involved in community engagement, frequently volunteering with advocacy organizations and local arts initiatives.
Cagai Maker (she/her) is a South Sudanese American from Columbus, Ohio. Cagai loves reading (especially her Bible), coffee/matcha dates, working out, and anything that involves hanging out with her friends and family! She plays soccer, runs track, and is involved in many leadership roles at her school as a high school senior. Outside of school, her passions are public health, which she explores through internships, volunteering, research, and shadowing. Her interests in public health led her to pursue a role with Project Unloaded because she believes that guns are a serious threat to public health. As a member of the Project Unloaded Youth Council she hopes to aid in making the world a safer place for the youth.
Celia Fuentes (she/her) is an incoming freshman at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, originally from Chicago, Illinois. She is excited to return to Project Unloaded as co-chair of the Youth Council to advocate for change and raise awareness about gun culture in her community. In her free time, she enjoys binge-watching movies, attending concerts with friends, practicing photography, and exploring the city. Through her advocacy work, she hopes to learn how to reach a broader audience and make a lasting impact.
Clara Biggs (she/her) is a high school senior from Dunwoody, Georgia. She’s passionate about using storytelling and design to make a difference, whether it’s as an editor for her school’s yearbook or as a second-year member of Project Unloaded’s Youth Council. Social justice has always been central to her values, and she’s dedicated to helping shift the narrative around gun culture through creative advocacy. Outside of activism, Clara loves baking, knitting, and photography. She hopes to continue growing while inspiring others to think compassionately about safety and community.
Dhruv Gupta (he/him) is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania studying Artificial Intelligence. He was a member of the inaugural youth council and wrote regularly about policy throughout high school. He plans to leverage his technical background to help Project Unloaded effectively incorporate technology and data storytelling measures into their approach. Outside of advocacy, Dhruv works as a technical contractor for several startups and creates AI simulations for the Wharton School. He also leads the founding branch of Hack4Impact, the nation’s largest coalition of college civic technologists. Dhruv loves soccer, reading, and YouTube video essays.
Ella Tucker (she/her) is a high school senior from Dunwoody, Georgia. She became passionate about changing gun culture after realizing how normalized guns had become in everyday life in her community. She hopes her work with Project Unloaded will help shift perspectives and inspire real change. Beyond this, she’s involved in disability advocacy, interfaith work, and youth leadership. She’s also Editor-in-Chief of her school’s yearbook, a chapter board member for BBYO, and fluent in Mandarin. In her free time, she loves playing tennis, hiking, and going to the gym.
Jaxson Biurquis (he/him) is a high school senior at Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy in Chicago. He was moved to take action after a family member and a former classmate passed away from gun violence. He hopes that his time with Project Unloaded will lead him to creating an impact that changes gun culture and inspires others to decide against using guns. At school he is a part of many clubs and has been student council president as well as NHS junior representative. He is really interested in being a voice for others, and also very interested in puzzles and anything math related.
Jay Geeslin (he/him) is a rising sophomore at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he is majoring in political science. He grew up in Falls Church, Virginia, and spent his freshman year at the College of Wooster, where he was an active member of the Model United Nations team. Passionate about public policy and global affairs, Jay dedicated part of his first year to studying the gun violence epidemic in the United States. This summer, he worked as a lifeguard at a local lake. In his free time, he follows Indiana sports closely and is a devoted fan of the Pacers and the Colts.
Jayden Wright (he/him) is a sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis majoring in Psychology and Political Science. After noticing a disturbing wave of desensitization among his classmates during a gun-related incident near his high school, Jayden yearned to be part of a movement that sheds light on these harsh realities. He believes in uplifting community pillars to foster real solutions, which is why youth-centered work resonates deeply with him. In his free time, Jayden is a member of his university’s cheerleading team and a scholarship program that merges STEM and community engagement to create social impact.
Jeremiah Cash (he/him) is a Sophomore at Wake Tech Community College, and lives in Garner, North Carolina. Jeremiah is the President and Founder of FREEGEN which is a community and activism nonprofit. His favorite artist is Beyoncé, and he loves a good Bravo reality show. As a Youth Council member, Jeremiah is excited to learn how to effectively advocate for change, develop strong leadership and communication skills, and ultimately become a catalyst for positive impact in his community and beyond.
Laia McClain (she/her) is a high school junior from Chicago, Illinois. She is passionate about continuing the work of changing the culture around guns and creating meaningful content. Laia is a foodie who loves trying new things when she travels, and values all the experiences that come with seeing the world. She is also very athletic and plays a varsity sport every season.
Maegan Godoy (she/her) is a college freshman from Washington, D.C. She began looking into the issues surrounding gun culture after an increase in shootings, especially harming young children and women, became a recurrence in her city. She hopes that her time with Project Unloaded will help her better understand gun culture and propose effective ways to support her community. Outside of this council, she works as a youth apprentice and is deeply involved in youth advocacy. She plans to join clubs related to her major, Political Science, and study abroad.
Paige Holke (she/her), originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a college sophomore studying Journalism and Communications at University of Wisconsin-Madison. After living in communities which have been affected by gun violence, she hopes her work on the Project Unloaded Youth Council will call attention to the issues surrounding modern gun culture. Paige additionally works as a Communications and Outreach assistant for a research group in Madison. She adores listening to music and attending concerts, fashion and art, and exploring coffee shops as well.
Riyan Golden (she/her) is a high school junior from Fredericksburg, Virginia. She is also an orchestra and band player, a matcha enthusiast, and a passionate youth advocate with aspirations of becoming a politician. She is a huge fan of Legally Blonde and especially the color pink, hoping to embody Elle Woods in her future pursuits. She is also a huge fan of the philosophical genre and loves connecting philosophy to modern-day issues and ideas. She joined the Youth Council to deepen her understanding of the root causes of gun violence, how it affects communities, and allow her to explore meaningful solutions through research, dialogue, and advocacy.
Simon Weber (he/him) is a high school senior from Chicago’s Hyde Park interested in public health, civic and scientific literacy, natural spaces, and community outreach. He joined Project Unloaded to explore and help develop a novel approach to social change regarding guns, the greatest public health challenge of his generation. He’s an avid sci-fi reader, museum visitor, and bird watcher.
Zain Memon (he/him) is a second-year at Harvard College from Brentwood, California. He is passionate about building systems that prevent harm and promote healing, with past experience working in interpersonal and gender-based violence settings through a public health lens. Zain is excited to join the Youth Council to continue advocating for violence prevention, especially through Project Unloaded’s unique approach. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, hiking, and exploring new things.
– Lillian Lee-Sin to the Augusta Chronicle, November 2022
Our inaugural class of Creator Corps focuses on social media content creation and amplification to reach their peers on the social media platforms where they’re already spending their time.
Neomie Allouche
San Francisco, CA, 17
Lasya Averineni
South Lyon, MI, 17
Paige Carter
Evansville, IN, 21
Anvesha Guru
Brookfield, WI, 17
Emma Hackbarth
New York, NY, 19
Isabella Hodkinson
Annandale, NJ, 17
Danielle Phillips
Washington, PA, 18
Anushka Praveen
Pleasanton, CA, 16
Chyanne Swain
Mount Vernon, NY, 16
Arav Tyagi
Fremont, CA, 17
Laya Venkatasubramanian
Bloomington, IL, 17
Killian McGaffin
Wichita, KS, 17
Karly Scholz
20
Project Unloaded’s latest campaign, Working On It, educates Gen Z about how firearms add risk while they’re working on their mental health CHICAGO – Project Unloaded
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The gun violence prevention organization Project Unloaded is teaming up with streamers to share the facts about firearm safety. By Fairriona Magee and Chip Brownlee In the current
Project Unloaded, an organization working to create a new cultural narrative that guns make us less safe, is seeking applicants for its 2023-2024 Youth Council. The council, which will be made up of 12 – 16 young people ages 15 – 20, will be a critical part of Project Unloaded’s upcoming campaigns and strategic planning.
Members of the council will be asked to weigh in on upcoming Project Unloaded strategies and campaigns, support the creation of content and materials for Project Unloaded programming, as well as speak out on the issue of guns in our homes, neighborhoods and communities.
The council will meet virtually once every month to discuss upcoming Project Unloaded programs, hear updates on how current programming is progressing, and brainstorm new projects that the organization should take on. There will also be one in-person meeting that all Youth Council members are expected to attend, with travel expenses paid by Project Unloaded. In between monthly meetings, members of the council can expect to hear from Project Unloaded staff at least bi-weekly over email, with requests like giving feedback on an upcoming campaign or tactic, or creating social media content, such as graphic feed posts for Instagram and short form videos for TikTok.
The council will have some duties that are public-facing. On rare occasions, they may be asked to be quoted on behalf of Project Unloaded in a statement to the media or to be interviewed by a reporter about their work with Project Unloaded. In cases like these, members of the council would receive media training and support throughout the request. All members of the council would also be publicly named on the Project Unloaded website. Members of the council will be selected annually, with the expectation that members would serve a year-long term, though some may extend their participation beyond the year.
For young people who are concerned about gun violence and making their communities safer, this is an opportunity to take action. By being part of the Youth Council, you’ll be able to help shape future campaigns to educate other young people on the risks of having a gun.
Additionally, council members will have opportunities for leadership as part of the council, become stronger public speakers through media training and experience, and understand more about how non-profit organizations work. The first council will run from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. Each member of the council will also receive a $999 stipend for their time and work with Project Unloaded. The stipend will be paid in installments.
Fill out the brief application available here. If under 18, applicants must submit a signed parental consent form to info@projectunloaded.org. All minors must have their parents’ permission to contact us and must be at least 15 to participate.
Applications are due to the Project Unloaded team by May 26, 2023. Applicants moving forward in the process will then be asked to take part in a brief video call with Project Unloaded staff to learn more about being on the council and answer a few follow up questions about their interest in working with Project Unloaded. The council’s first meeting will be in the fall of 2023.
All applications and all interaction with participants and parents will be subject to the privacy practices disclosed in our Participant Privacy Notice.
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