This past week, July 13-18, Students Demand Action flew me to Minneapolis, Minnesota to participate in their first-ever Summer Organizing Institute! The institute brought together around 80 high-school-aged gun violence prevention activists from all across the nation to participate in various classes and workshops of our choosing, hear from many wonderful guest speakers, and learn all there is to know about being a Students Demand Action leader.
Before I tell you all about the Summer Organizing Institute, what even is Students Demand Action? Students Demand Action, commonly called “SDA,” is a youth-led gun violence prevention advocacy organization. Founded in 2018, the organization equips young leaders such as myself (and, if you’re here, probably you as well!) with the necessary tools to combat gun violence in America. To understand what Students Demand Action is, it’s also imperative to understand what it’s not: SDA is not anti-gun, they are simply pro-gun control! The organization’s goal is to increase gun safety regulations, raise awareness about American gun violence, and keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them. Click here for more information about the organization.
Now, let’s talk about the Summer Organizing Institute! I broke the week down by day to give you all an in-depth understanding of what it was like, what I did, and, most importantly, what I learned.
Sunday, July 13: I arrived in Minneapolis just before lunchtime and made my way through the airport to meet with SDA staff. From the airport, we took the train to the University of Minnesota, where we stayed for the duration of the institute (the campus is GORGEOUS for those curious). There were no classes this day as many other participants were arriving throughout the day, but, in the evening, we had “Lawn Olympics.” I can confidently say I witnessed one of the most intense games of Duck-Duck-Goose ever!
Monday, July 14: Monday was the first day of classes, and every day before classes we had a guest speaker(s), Among this day’s guest speakers were Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and Minnesota State Senator Erin Maye Quade. Senator Maye Quade was particularly inspiring to me, as she is the first black and openly LGBTQ+ woman elected to the Minnesota State Senate, making substantial progress in the progressive movement! After hearing from the guest speakers, I had a class on stopping the creation of DIY machine guns, met with other participants in the Northeast region, had lunch, went to Demand A Seat (Demand A Seat is my “track,” akin to a “major” in college, this is what I spent most of my time working on), followed by a public speaking workshop, dinner, and a fun night of bowling and pool at Goldy’s Gameroom.
Tuesday, July 15: Tuesday’s guest speaker was First Lady of Minnesota Gwen Walz. To say I was honored to meet her in person is an UNDERSTATEMENT! My first class of the day was Industry Accountability and Racial Justice (one of my favorites of the whole institute!), followed by a Northeast region meeting, lunch, Demand A Seat, an Advocacy+Social Media workshop, dinner, and a rainy, cozy night-in just hanging out and socializing with the other participants.
Wednesday, July 16: Wednesday’s guest speaker was a pair of lawyers from Everytown for Gun Safety; they offered invaluable perspective into the legal complexities of gun violence prevention. Then I headed to A New Kind Of Gun Owner (a class that dissected how guns are dangerously marketed to specific communities), my regional meeting, lunch, Demand A Seat, a Media Advocacy workshop, dinner, and, my favorite social activity of the entire trip: Karaoke night! Now, I have never willingly participated in karaoke (for the sake of myself and others), but on July 16, 2025, that changed. I had a wonderful time singing and dancing with fellow youth activists and community leaders, and it was beyond heart-warming knowing that we could unite and find community, even in the wake of something as tragic as gun violence. Additionally, it was mesmerizing watching a room full of history nerds and political enthusiasts collectively belt out the entire Hamilton soundtrack!
Thursday, July 17: SDA saved the best for last because our last guest speaker of the institute was the Executive Director of Moms Demand Action, Angela Ferrell-Zabala. Ferrell-Zabala is a queer political activist and nonprofit leader…and also one of my biggest inspirations! Thursday was the last day of the institute, so instead of classes, we all got to work on our track capstone presentations. For my track, Demand A Seat, my group’s capstone presentation was a campaign pitch to an endorsement panel, which included a theory of winning speech, budgeting and fundraising plan, win number calculations, volunteer recruitment plans, sample campaign materials, and a voter communications plan. My team and I delivered an amazing campaign pitch from the perspective of someone running for a non-partisan seat on their city council, and we secured our endorsement! After our capstone presentations, everyone from the institute came together for a banquet and a fun time socializing and watching the sunset from one of the university’s terraces (see pictures at the end of this post)!
Friday, July 18: As we all said our goodbyes and began leaving for our flights back home, there were tears, smiles, and, above all else, community. Gun violence prevention brought us together, but the relationships we built are what will keep us together! We all went home better leaders and better advocates, equipped with our knowledge from the Summer Organizing Institute and a network of other youth activists to lean on!
I am so grateful to Students Demand Action for inviting me to the institute, sending me back home with a new set of gun violence prevention advocacy skills, and many new friends!
If you’re a youth activist and want to join the fight for gun violence prevention, text “student” to 644-33 to join Students Demand Action and see how YOU can be an agent of change! Not a young person but still want to help? Visit Moms Demand Action or Everytown for Gun Safety to see what opportunities are available for you.
Don’t wait for change, be the changemaker!
-Lyn Jones
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