The University has a rich history in gun violence prevention that dates back to James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. In 1824, Madison and Jefferson both supported a rule ensuring that students could not possess firearms on Grounds. Two hundred years later, however, debates over gun control are still center stage — 65 percent of current and prospective college students said the tragic commonality of school shootings make them concerned for their safety on their campuses, according to a survey by BestColleges.
Enter Students Demand Action — a Contracted Independent Organization that advocates for gun safety. It is the collegiate branch of Everytown for Gun Safety, a national nonprofit that advocates for gun violence prevention and gun safety through grassroots work, including lobbying and providing legal representation in the courts through Everytown Law.
SDA began in 2016 as a pilot project, launched nationally in 2018 and added a chapter at the University in 2020. The University chapter meets at least twice a month, branching into the broader Charlottesville community with programs like Moms Demand Action and Central Virginia Violence Interrupters…