Dozens of teenagers from Chicago’s South and West sides presented social media campaigns aimed at encouraging peers to reject gun ownership during a recent event downtown. The youth, participants in a six-week summer program organized by the nonprofit Project Unloaded, used creative approaches to convey messages about the risks of firearms in their communities.

The presentations took place on Thursday before a panel of city officials and civic leaders. Several teams employed popular culture references to engage their audience. One team incorporated “aura,” a slang term among Generation Alpha denoting a person’s vibe, to argue that owning a gun is not “cool.” Another drew on the structure of the reality television show “Love Island,” enacting skits where contestants voted out participants who possessed guns.

Ultimately, the campaign named T.R.A.P.—which warns teens against the misconception that having a firearm increases personal safety—was selected as the winning entry. The team highlighted research demonstrating that firearm owners face a higher likelihood of being shot themselves. Their skits included a “spring cleaning” scenario, where teens discard guns alongside other unwanted items at their parents’ urging.

Cherie Animashaun, founder of the Her Rising Initiative and one of the event’s judges, praised the T.R.A.P. campaign’s resonance with community experiences. “The notion of ‘Don’t fall into that trap’ is something I’ve been telling my younger brother who’s Black,” she said. “It’s a message our community has heard repeatedly, and this team made it compelling and relevant.”

Among the participants was 17-year-old Luis Delgado, a member of the T.R.A.P. team who recounted a near-tragedy involving a relative and gun violence several years ago. “It was such a scary moment. We didn’t know if they were going to live or not, and that sparked something in our family—we wanted to get guns away from the household,” he said.

Throughout the program, Delgado and other teens learned how to develop social media campaigns from concept to production. They collaborated with advertising professionals, created videos and skits, and designed merchandise such as t-shirts, mugs, and tote bags to promote their messages. Delgado emphasized that the program’s value lay in community impact rather than financial compensation.

Delgado has actively shared the team’s materials and gun violence statistics with friends, persuading two to relinquish their firearms. He noted the prevailing belief among many on the South and West sides that guns offer protection, but challenged that notion by pointing to victims of gun violence in their own circles. “It took a week, a week and a half to keep talking with them, sharing facts and statistics, and showing that letting go of guns is an act of courage,” he said.

Kamari Markiyah Brown, a participant from Lawndale, said the program altered her perspective on safety. Initially intent on purchasing a gun for protection amid concerns about the safety of Black youths, she reconsidered after learning that gun ownership at home increases suicide risk. “Now that I know that, I do not want anything to do with a gun,” she said. Brown added that the experience has deepened her awareness of the challenges in her neighborhood and the potential to influence her peers.

Project Unloaded’s initiative reflects ongoing efforts to engage young people directly affected by gun violence, equipping them with tools and platforms to advocate for safer communities.