The National Organizing Board leads more than 800 groups across the country; Announcement follows year of progress on gun safety at local, state, and federal levels
New York: Students Demand Action, a grassroots network of Everytown for Gun Safety, announced its 2024-2026 National Organizing Board on June 5, 2024. The board comprises 14 dedicated student leaders and gun violence survivors from across the country. Members of the National Organizing Board will serve as leading voices for the movement, created by and for students, to support shaping the strategy and goals of Students Demand Action at the federal, state, and local levels. Board members also train and mentor leaders of local Students Demand Action groups nationwide, drawing on their diverse leadership experiences within the gun violence prevention movement.
“Young people continue to prove that when we rise up and demand our voices be heard, we can create massive change," said Leighanne Muñoz, a new member of the Students Demand Action National Organizing Board and a gun violence survivor from New Mexico. “There’s no denying that our movement to end gun violence grows stronger each year – all while the gun lobby has gotten weaker. We’re here to make America a safer place and we’re committed to getting that job done. That’s a promise.”
The 2024 – 2026 National Organizing Board Members are:
Gavin Bendross (he/him), a Florida A&M University graduate based in Tallahassee, Florida and a former participant in the 2024 Students Demand Action Young Black Changemakers Summit.
Ashley Castillo (she/her), a gun violence survivor and a freshman in college based in Los Angeles, California.
Erin DeSantis (she/her), a high school junior from Central Pennsylvania and a group lead with the Central Susquehanna Valley Students Demand Action chapter. Erin is also part of the Demand a Seat: Students Edition 2023 cohort.
Justin Funez (he/him), a senior at the University of Chicago and former leader of the Summer Leadership Academy.
Stella Kaye (she/her), a high school junior at East High School in Denver, Colorado and Vice President of her school’s Students Demand Action chapter.
Reem Khalifa (she/her), a high school junior at Stuyvesant High School based in New York City, New York. Reem is also part of the Demand a Seat: Students Edition 2023 cohort.
Sam Mell (they/them), a senior at The North Carolina School of Science and Math Morganton campus and founder of the school’s Students Demand Action chapter.
Cora Lynn Mundy (she/her), a high school senior at Staten Island Academy in Staten Island, New York and former Vice President of her school’s Students Demand Action chapter.
Leighanne Muñoz (she/her), a junior at New Mexico State University based in Las Cruces, New Mexico and founder of the Students Demand Action chapter at her university. Leighanne is a gun violence survivor and part of the Demand a Seat: Students Edition 2023 cohort.
Penelope Oliver (she/her), a high school senior at the Horizon Charter & Sierra College in Folsom, California and part of the Demand a Seat: Students Edition 2023 cohort.
Insherah Qazi (she/her), a junior at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia and founder of the Students Demand Action chapter at her school.
Jorge Sanchez Bautista (he/they/él), a junior at McDaniel High School in Portland, Oregon. Jorge founded the only Students Demand Action chapter in the city of Portland and is also part of the Demand a Seat: Students Edition 2023 cohort.
Jayden Speed (he/him), a freshman at George Washington University based in Washington, D.C. Originally from rural Nebraska, Jayden founded and formerly led the state’s only Students Demand Action chapter.
Mia Tretta (she/her), a freshman at Brown University based in Providence, Rhode Island. Mia is a survivor of the 2019 shooting at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California.
Young people have been forced to grow up living in fear of gunfire in schools, grocery stores, malls, and so many other places across their communities that should be safe. In an average year, nearly 4,000 children and teens die by gun violence: the leading cause of death for young people in America.
Even those who are not physically impacted by gun violence are still shaped by it. That’s why Students Demand Action volunteers across the country are rising up and organizing in their schools, universities and communities to demand more from their leaders.
Students Demand Action is the largest grassroots, youth-led gun violence prevention group in the country with more than 800 groups and active volunteers in nearly every state. The movement aims to channel the passion of high school and college-aged people into the fight against gun violence through organizing within their schools and communities to educate their peers, register voters, and demand common-sense solutions to our nation’s gun violence crisis at the local, state, and federal levels.
More information about Students Demand Action can be found here. To speak with a Students Demand Action National Organizing Board Member, please do not hesitate to reach out.
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About Everytown for Gun Safety
Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund (“Everytown for Gun Safety”) is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with nearly ten million supporters and more than 700,000 donors including moms, mayors, survivors, students, and everyday Americans who are fighting for common-sense gun safety measures that can help save lives. Learn more at www.everytown.org and follow @Everytown.
