2A Forward directly engages responsible gun owners from all walks of life in work to create safer communities with less needless death through education, community-building, and action. In the process, we bring communities together to build a shared understanding of safety. Our work, to cultivate a culture that is both pro-Second Amendment and anti-violence among responsible gun owners is made possible by equipping individuals, especially in communities impacted by needless death and violence with essential skills and support.
In 2023, over 43,000 people, including more than 1,700 children and teenagers, lost their lives to gun violence (Gun Violence Archive, 2024). Despite rising gun ownership in communities deeply affected by this violence, punitive gun laws risk repeating the failures of the War on Drugs by neglecting the root causes of gun violence, particularly in poor, Black, and Brown communities.
OUR STRATEGY
The real issue lies in the chronic disinvestment and neglect of these communities, leaving them without the resources and support necessary to prevent violence.
According to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, sustainable change comes from “interrupting cycles of violence” and addressing its “root causes” (2021). By reshaping the narrative around firearm use in the United States, 2A Forward is tackling both factors: eliminating the structural factors that contribute to gun violence and promoting safety through anti-violence models and community-based workshops geared toward responsible gun owners in impacted communities. In Jacksonville, Florida, for example, we responded to a mass shooting by equipping over 40 attendees with de-escalation strategies and safe firearm use while distributing trigger locks, pepper spray, and tourniquet kits to help prevent future tragedies.