The Trace: Snaps, Likes, and Shares Are Teaching Teens About the Dangers of Guns
For a generation on Snapchat, a new study finds gun violence campaigns could make kids safer. By Fairriona Magee Aug 11, 2026 In 2022, when the violence prevention organization Project Unloaded launched its first social media-focused campaign, its leaders had one goal: to challenge the notion among young people that guns make people more safe. Four […]
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago teens riff on ‘Love Island,’ ‘aura’ trend to pitch campaigns pushing peers to put down guns
The presentations to city officials and civic leaders were the culminations of a summer program that recruits teens from the South and West sides, many of whom have seen the toll of gun violence up close. “By letting go of a gun, you are showing courage that a lot of people sometimes just don’t have,” […]
Nearly 50 Chicago Teens Confront Gun Violence and Teen Takeovers Via Social Media Pitch Competition
Teens from the South and West Sides Pitch Ideas to Peers and a Panel of Judges with the Goal of Inspiring Young People to Decide Against Owning and Using Guns CHICAGO – Nearly 50 teens from Chicago’s South and West Sides pitched anti-gun violence social media campaigns to influential Chicagoans and their peers on Thursday, […]
REPORT: Snapchat Campaign Successfully Shifts Teen Perceptions of Gun Risks and Safety
New Study Shows the Heavy Toll Gun Violence Takes on the Mental Health and Daily Lives of American Youth and Demonstrates Efficacy of SNUG Campaign Teens Who Saw the SNUG Snapchat Campaign Were 17 Points More Likely to Believe They’re Safer Unarmed and 21 Points More Likely to Talk to a Peer about Gun Risks […]
Chicago Teens and Project Unloaded Launch Irreverent New Campaign Taking on America’s Deadly Gun Culture
“Goofies Got Guns” Leverages Chicago Teen Humor and Slang to Share a Serious Message about the Risks of Having a Gun CHICAGO — Project Unloaded, the only gun violence prevention nonprofit actively countering gun culture online through youth-driven social media campaigns, is launching Goofies Got Guns, a new campaign designed to engage teens with facts […]
Chicago Tribune: Young people in Chicago are learning that guns aren’t the answer
By Celia Fuentes, Project Unloaded Youth Council August 15, 2025 Read the piece:
Project Unloaded Introduces its 2025-2026 Youth Council
22 young people ages 15-20 serve a one-year term as organizers, advisors and creators with the goal of mobilizing their peers to decide against owning and using guns CHICAGO – Twenty-two teen and young adult leaders joined Project Unloaded’s Youth Council this month following a competitive application process. They will take a leading role in […]
“Working On It” Campaign Takes on Two Big Issues for Young People: Mental Health and Gun Violence
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 marked the start of Mental Health Awareness Month by launching a new youth-led, social-first campaign called Working On It. Through a series of honest, humorous, and heartfelt videos created by Gen […]
Once Again, It’s the Guns.
In response to the shooting at Florida State University, the teen-fueled gun violence prevention organization Project Unloaded asks young people to rise up against America’s deadly gun culture CHICAGO – At least six people have been hospitalized following a shooting at Florida State University today. The shooting comes just days after another shooting in a […]
The Trace: Off the Virtual Battlefield, Gamers Are Teaching Gen Z About the Real-World Risks of Guns
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 season of Fortnite, players wield an arsenal designed to outgun their competition in a chaotic battle royale. From the Collateral Damage Assault Rifle to the Outlaw Shotgun, the game’s weapons […]