HOW WE WORK
OUR vision
The NMG National Team actively supports our local coalitions across the country as they work to break down silos within the gun violence prevention movement -- and within wider movements for justice, equity, and liberation -- to ensure that young, diverse individuals are authentically represented in their community's work around gun violence prevention and community-based public safety. Together, we embrace the notions of radical imagination, unconditional love for one’s community, and the transformational power of engaged, active, and courageous young people to collectively envision and, in turn, fight for more safe, just, and compassionate communities.
WHY DO WE USE OUR COALITION MODEL?
Not My Generation believes that to properly address gun violence as both an issue in and of itself and as a symptom of wider systemic injustices, we must ensure all communities and individuals with a vested interest in the issue are at the table. Thus, NMG operates using a coalitional model that begins with and centers building communities across lines of difference, intentionally growing local networks, and working to ensure individuals impacted by and invested in all different forms of gun violence are present in a given community’s change-making efforts. The coalitional model that NMG utilizes focuses on building coalitions locally -- city by city, community by community -- so that the work we do is representative, intentional, achievable, and beneficial to all populations within a given community. We know that different populations deal with unique forms of gun violence that intersect with other social issues such as policing, gender-based violence, mental and physical health care, class and economic access, and much more, so we work to have individuals with different experiences and backgrounds at the table together, working collaboratively to end gun violence and improve community-based public safety.
WHAT IS A COALITION?
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” - Helen Keller
Building and being part of a coalition with like-minded organizers is at the root of our work and is of paramount importance to addressing and ending gun violence. To that end, NMG coalitions primarily include and are led by young adult organizers (typically ages 18-26, though we do engage with high school-aged organizers as well) concerned with mass shootings, community violence, suicide by firearm, domestic violence, police violence, hate crimes, and the like. Necessarily, our coalitions also include representatives from or organizers with other community-based organizations and/or local affiliates of NMG’s National Partners doing similar and overlapping work in the community. We intentionally invite organizers from other spaces and organizations into our coalition space in order to ensure that time, money, energy, and political capital within a given community is being used effectively and efficiently (i.e. avoiding duplicative efforts, building cross-population issue coalitions, etc…) to reduce violence and build stronger, safer, and more just communities. We use the language “coalition” rather than “chapter” to emphasize the importance NMG places on cross-organizational collaboration, learning from our elders and long-standing community leaders, integrating the goals of tangential movements into our movement, creating inclusive and equitable organizing spaces, and placing the needs of the gun violence prevention movement above the needs of any one organization.
HOW DO I JOIN OR START A COALITION?
See below for a map and list of cities/states where NMG coalitions are already doing lifesaving organizing work on the ground. If your community is already listed, click your community Coalition Lead’s “Email Me!” button to let them know you’re ready to get to work!
Don’t see your community listed? We’d love to help you get an NMG coalition off the ground! We’ll walk you through the process, teach you what you need to know, and support you throughout your organizing journey. Email NMG’s National Field Director, Ella Healy, at cofielddirector@notmygenerationgvp.org to get started.
