their families and others who have
lost loved ones to gun violence.
A major children’s hospital in
Chicago displayed panels during
a conference that convened gun
violence-prevention professionals.
Large sections have been exhibited
nationwide, including three times in
Washington, D.C.
Workshops can be hosted
anywhere by people who are
inspired to do this work in their
communities. Panels are kept in
the cities and towns where they are
made, to amplify the voices of the
community. Most recently, middle-
school students at Lighthouse
Community Charter School in
Oakland, California, made Vision
Quilt panels after a three-month
study of gun violence. They curated
their own exhibition, which was
attended by 400 local residents. A
video highlighting the students’
experiences of making panels and
exploring the threats they live
with every day was created. Like
the Parkland, Florida, students
who spoke out when violence
touched them, the students are
impacting their own communities.
More than 700 Vision Quilt panels
have been completed with 50
exhibitions held in Massachusetts,
New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois,
Arizona, California, and Oregon.
Vision Quilt shares guidelines
and curriculum on their website,
plus offers free resources on how
to host workshops and additional
information.
Who says there’s no solution
to gun violence? City by city, state
by state, together individuals are
envisioning a safer America. “Enuf” • Mary Ruzich (Medford, Oregon)
“It’s Possible” • Mimi Shapiro (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)get more online
To learn more about the
organization, visit visionquilt.org.