Racial Justice United States Project #65087

Heal Trauma of Gun Violence: Uplift Youth!

by Visioning Beyond Violence

Heal Trauma of Gun Violence: Uplift Youth!

Project Report | Apr 28, 2026
Heal Trauma of Gun Violence: Uplift Youth!

By Siobhan Cohee | VBV Leadership

This spring, Visioning Beyond Violence hosted a powerful Addressing Gun Violence (AGV) Exhibition, where young people stepped into leadership roles to guide conversations about violence, healing, and hope. 150 eighth-grade students served as trained docents, presenting their research-driven artwork and sharing solutions with visitors. Over two days, more than 500 youth, families, educators, and community members attended the exhibition, including local civic leaders whose presence reinforced to students that their voices matter.

Students shared that presenting their artwork helped them speak openly about gun violence for the first time. Through art, storytelling, and facilitated dialogue, students led visitors through conversations about the realities of violence and the possibilities for prevention. The exhibition also featured a short film honoring mothers who have lost children to gun violence, reminding participants that this work is rooted in lived experience and community healing.

Feedback from participants showed meaningful shifts in awareness and empathy.

88% reported seeing new perspectives, 84% became more aware of the impacts of gun violence, 79% reported a shift in their thinking, and 82% expressed motivation to protect future generations. An overwhelming 91% rated the experience as Excellent or Good, with many participants describing the exhibition as emotional, eye-opening, and hopeful.

The strong response to this exhibition demonstrates the importance of creating safe spaces where youth can reflect, imagine, and express their experiences. Each exhibition strengthens confidence, empathy, and leadership among young people while helping communities better understand the realities of violence and the importance of prevention.

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Dec 26, 2025
Heal Trauma of Gun Violence: Uplift Youth!

By Cathy DeForest, Ph.D. | Executive Director

Dialogue with VBV & Office of Violence Prevention

In November, the Art For Social Change/Visioning Beyond Violence/Portland Office of Violence Prevention Community Art Exhibition and Community Dialogue successfully engaged community members in reflective, healing, and action-oriented conversations about gun violence. Through art viewing, art-making, and facilitated dialogue, participants deepened their understanding of the impacts of gun violence and strengthened their commitment to prevention within their families, schools, and communities.

Key Outcomes & Evaluation Results

Increased Understanding of Gun Violence

79% of participants reported that the exhibition and dialogue increased their understanding of how gun violence affects people “a great deal” or “quite a bit.”

Increased Intention to Prevent Gun Violence

88% of participants reported increased intention to prevent gun violence “a great deal” or “quite a bit.”

Art as a Catalyst for Change

100% of respondents (35/35) agreed that art creation can impact change when reflecting on gun violence in their community.

Participants emphasized that art:

Creates heart-centered, vulnerable conversations
Allows people to share experiences without needing to speak
Supports healing, trauma processing, and imagination of new futures
Makes complex and painful issues visible and accessible
Helps people understand perspectives beyond their own
As one participant shared: “A picture shows more than a thousand words.”

Overall Program Quality

91% rated the exhibition and dialogue as Excellent
9% rated it Good

Community Demand & Replication

91% believe OVP should sponsor more art exhibitions and dialogues
Participants recommended expanding to:

High schools and youth-centered spaces
Community centers and public buildings
Areas most impacted by gun violence (SE Portland, East County, 82nd & Sandy)
Police precincts and juvenile detention settings
Citywide public spaces, museums, and cafes

Participant testimonials consistently highlighted the program’s emotional resonance, accessibility, and healing power:

“Art is therapeutic, healing, and helps us imagine an inspiring future.”
“This experience certainly made me think.”
“A great discussion and creative outlet.”
“Art provides avenues for individuals to share their experiences without needing to speak.”
“I really love the art that people made and the conversation that resulted.”

Several participants also encouraged deeper partnerships to support trauma recovery for victims and families impacted by gun violence.

ConclusionThis project demonstrates that art-based community dialogue is a powerful, effective tool for addressing gun violence, fostering healing, and inspiring prevention-oriented action. The overwhelmingly positive feedback and strong demand for expansion affirm the value of continued investment through GlobalGiving to sustain and scale this work.

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Aug 31, 2025
Heal Trauma of Gun Violence: Uplift Youth!

By Diana Garcia | Program and Development Director

Lighthouse Community Charter School Exhibition

Over the past quarter, our team advanced our arts-based, trauma-informed work while completing our rebrand from Vision Quilt to Visioning Beyond Violence (VBV), a name that reflects our focus on prevention through art, education, healing, dialogue, and storytelling.

We launched a Train-The-Trainer partnership with Lewis & Clark College (Graduate School of Education and Counseling). Art therapy students and faculty were trained in our curriculum, then implemented it with Parkrose High School students, college participants, and community members. The attached Portland photos show:

LC Training Session: art therapy students practicing facilitation.
Parkrose Classroom: student small-group artmaking and reflection.
Campus Exhibition: a selection of youth work on display.

Our program was named a Top 10 Finalist at an Arts in Healing Film Festival. The awards reception was hosted at the Lewis & Clark Counseling Center during our exhibition, showcasing student artwork created through the curriculum.

In East Oakland, we rolled out our Addressing Gun Violence Expeditionary Curriculum with two schools, including Lighthouse Community Public Charter School. ~150 students participated. Educators observed higher engagement, and math scores improved after participating in our program.

At the Together We Can End Gun Violence conference (Alliance for Gun Responsibility, Seahawks Stadium), we exhibited student art and hosted a Uplifting Visions table, where attendees created 8×8 Evolon fabric squares expressing hopes for safer communities.

We have not yet received donations on this platform. If this report resonates, your first gift here would directly expand facilitator training and school partnerships in Oakland and Portland.

With gratitude,
Visioning Beyond Violence Team

Parkrose Classroom: Art-making and Reflecting

Campus Exhibition: Youth work on display.

Art therapy students practicing facilitation.

Middle School Student Presenting her Work

Participant sharing her work at End GV Conference

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