Woah! It has been quite a summer!
WAVE’s eight 2019 youth summer interns, aged 15 to 19, were very busy advocating for gun violence prevention in Wisconsin.
Throughout the summer, the interns cultivated strong friendships with one another and developed skills that they will continue to use throughout their lives.
Examples of What We Did
Performed street actions to demand commonsense gun policies
- Held up signs supporting gun violence prevention reforms at Lake Michigan on July 3rd, a day that attracts many people to the area for fireworks,
- Protested (holding signs and chanting) outside Senator Ron Johnson’s Milwaukee office due to his dangerous voting history regarding gun violence prevention reforms, and
- Led the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County on a street march in Madison with signs and chants.
Collected signatures and wrote a letter to demand policy change from lawmakers at the…
- August Recess Rally,
- Brewers Community Foundation kiosk at Miller Park,
- Fondy Farmers Market, and
- Milwaukee Public Market.
Empowered youth leaders through youth peace advocacy training at the…
- All People’s Church Youth Music Activism Workshop,
- Boys and Girls Club of Dane County,
- Independence-First Youth Leadership Summit,
- Oakland Cambridge Presbyterian Church, and
- Peacemakers’ Day Camp.
Registered voters (especially in marginalized communities) at the…
- All People’s Church Isaiah 55 Food Pantry,
- Fondy Farmers Market,
- Phongsavan Asian Market Health Fair,
- Southeast Wisconsin YWCA,
- WestCare Wisconsin E.A.T.S. Food Pantry, and
- 2019 League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) National Convention and Exposition at the Wisconsin Center.
Collaborated and spread awareness with ally organizations, including…
- All Peoples Church is a truly inclusive church that partners for justice and welcomes all people. All Peoples Church is outspoken in support of “Black Lives Matter,’ the LGBTQ community, and immigrants.
- Boys & Girls Club of Dane County has a vision is to inspire and empower all young people, especially those who need them most, to reach their full potential as responsible and caring adults.
- Brewers Community Foundation harnesses the pride, passion, and commitment of Brewers fans, players and other supporters to positively impact the lives of children and their families in Greater Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
- Fondy Farmers Market is a diverse, nationally recognized leader in connecting low-income people with the benefits of farmers’ markets.
- Independence-First has a mission to effectively facilitate the empowerment of diverse, multi-cultural individuals with disabilities. Independence-First values inclusion, access, empowerment, and independence for people with disabilities.
- Indivisible Tosa takes effective action to make sure that Congress is paying attention to the voters.
- League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs.
- March for Our Lives (Madison and Milwaukee chapters) harnesses the power of young people across the country to fight for sensible gun violence prevention policies that save lives.
- Milwaukee Consortium for Hmong Health, Inc. strives to build the capacity to address cancer health disparities through community engagement.
- Milwaukee Friends Meeting (Quakers) is a witness for peace, equality, simplicity, and justice.
- Moms Demand Action/Students Demand Action/Everytown for Gun Safety are fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence.
- Northcott Neighborhood House strives to empower families to meet their survival needs and provide good parenting to their children; to provide a safe place for youth as well as recreational and skill-building activities; and to provide the neighborhood with space, activities, and the opportunity to engage in community building and crime prevention.
- Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM) acts to inspire a dynamic collaboration that heals trauma and creates a resilient community.
- Southeast Wisconsin YWCA is an organization dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
- WestCare was founded to reclaim, rename, and rebuild the Harambee (meaning “Work Together – Pull Together” in Swahili) Neighborhood.
Check out some of our other summer internship experiences here!