wave2021

October 1, 2021 wave2021

Federal Action

Contact the President of the United States

The United States needs a director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. President Biden’s initial nominee for the position, David Chipman, was an excellent, qualified choice, but he was not confirmed. Ultimately, President Biden pulled his nomination.

The position must be filled. The agency needs a leader to champion gun violence prevention. Tell President Biden to nominate another qualified candidate for ATF Director now. This is urgent; there is no time to wait.

State Actions

Contact Your Legislators to Support Lifesaving Bills

Did you hear the great news? Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul joined with members of the legislature, who just introduced two new lifesaving gun violence prevention bills:

  1. Requiring background checks on all gun sales in Wisconsin
  2. Creating a process to temporarily remove guns from people who are in imminent danger of harming themselves or others (extreme risk protection restraining orders and injunctions).

The introduction of these bills is worth celebrating, and we have a lot of work to do. Getting these bills passed will be an uphill battle. Your Wisconsin legislators need to hear from you! Urge your legislators to support these powerful gun violence prevention bills!

This is our chance to save lives in Wisconsin, and it won’t happen unless we raise our voices.>>Click here to send a message to your state legislators demanding that they support these evidence-based gun violence prevention bills.

Let’s make this happen!

Take Action

Contact Your Legislators to Oppose Dangerous Bills

The Wisconsin state legislature has recently proposed a number of dangerous gun bills, most of which would expand concealed carry to more people and places:

  1. SB484 / AB495 Relating to the possession of a firearm in a vehicle on school grounds by a person with a license to carry a concealed weapon
  2. SB502 / AB498 Relating to the minimum age to be eligible for a license to carry a concealed weapon
  3. SB516 / AB518 Relating to reciprocity for out-of-state licenses to carry a concealed weapon
  4. SB570 / AB572 Relating to limiting civil liability for firearm, firearm accessory, and ammunition manufacturers, distributors, importers, trade associations, sellers, and dealers
  5. SB584 Relating to possession of a firearm by a licensee in a place of worship located on the grounds of a private school
  6. LRB-4759 Relating to carrying concealed firearms without a license or law enforcement card; carrying firearms in police stations, houses of correction, secure mental health facilities, taverns, and mass public transportation systems; and carrying firearms in wildlife refuges or while engageing in certain activities, such as operating an ATV.

According to a recent report by WAVE and the Center for American Progress (CAP), since the passage of Wisconsin’s law to allow people to carry concealed weapons (CCW) passed nearly a decade ago, evidence shows that

  • Trends in Wisconsin suggest that the passage of the CCW law was associated with a rise in gun homicides.
  • Wisconsin’s CCW law is associated with “an increase in violent gun-related crime”
  • “gun theft increased significantly following the enactment of the CCW law” in Wisconsin

Wisconsin legislators should not expand concealed carry to more people (i.e., youth) and places (i.e., schools); they should pass lifesaving gun laws that will make Wisconsin safe!

Take Action

Sign Up for WAVE’s Virtual Day of Action

Save the date! On Tuesday, November 9, we are hosting a virtual Day of Action! This will be the most important action you can take this year to end gun violence.

November 9th will be our chance to show Wisconsin legislators that Wisconsinites want them to support the lifesaving gun violence prevention bills that were recently introduced, including background checks on all gun sales and a process for obtaining extreme risk protection orders (ERPO).

Likewise, it’s our chance to demand that they reject the series of bills that have been introduced in Wisconsin to loosen our carrying concealed weapons (CCW) laws.

>>>Click here to sign up now!

This event will be all virtual, and we will help you prepare in advance to make sure you feel comfortable, no matter your experience. You will have the opportunity to speak with legislators, or, if you are not interested in talking, you can simply show up to demonstrate our strength in numbers. Either way, your presence will make a difference!!

To keep these sessions brief, we will hold two separate sessions–one at 10:00 am for residents of the eastern senate districts (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 30, 33) and one at 12:00 pm for the residents of western senate districts (10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 32).

Not sure which district you live in? You can look it up! Type your address in the search bar: https://maps.legis.wisconsin.gov/?single=y.

Sign Up!
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2021 Youth Peacebuilding and Violence Prevention Internship

2021 Youth Peacebuilding and Violence Prevention Internship

August 11, 2021 wave2021

It has been another incredible summer!

This year, due to COVID-19, our youth summer internship program was completely virtual again. WAVE’s 16 (up from 6 last year) 2021 youth summer interns, aged 14 to 21, were very busy participating in online gun violence prevention education and advocacy.

Throughout the summer, the interns cultivated strong friendships with one another and developed skills that they will continue to use throughout their lives.

ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORKED WITH OUR INTERNS

Throughout the internship, we collaborated with several ally organizations. We are especially grateful to representatives who joined our virtual meetings from these organizations.

INTERN FINAL PROJECT

Every summer, the internship culminates in a final project. This year the interns developed a two-day virtual event, including the interns sharing their ideas of peace and leading panel discussions with subject area experts who have lived experience on important gun violence prevention topics. Check out the videos from this final event!

wave20212021 Youth Peacebuilding and Violence Prevention Internship
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#WAVEOfHope – WAVE Day of Giving

June 21, 2021 wave2021
Donate
Volunteer
Sponsor
https://facebook.com/WaveEdFund

A Message From Our Executive Director

Greetings and welcome to our WAVE of Hope!

Here’s a truth: We all need hope. We all need to believe and trust that what we desire will happen.

Our ability to hope has been tested in recent years. What we’ve witnessed is a series of coordinated lies and disinformation campaigns that can make hope feel elusive. There has been a disinformation campaign around the pandemic and specifically around vaccines. There has been another disinformation campaign espousing false claims of rigged elections and election fraud. We can see the direct line between these lies and the harm they have caused. People were injured or killed during the January 6th insurrection. Thousands of people have unnecessarily died because of lies related to the vaccines.

In the gun violence prevention movement, we have been dealing with a lethal disinformation campaign for decades. This one is centered on the false premise that guns make us safer, when, in fact, we know from research, evidence and experience that the opposite is true. To us, this is the Big Lie. It was created and pushed out by the greed-driven, power-hungry pro gun lobby and their gun industry allies. And this lie, too, has caused incalculable harm to the citizens of our state and our country.

Being up against a well-financed, powerful adversary, year after year, could be discouraging. But here’s another truth: we aren’t discouraged at all. We know that we will overcome all obstacles and succeed because history teaches us that, ultimately, hard work and truth will prevail. 

That belief, that trust, indeed, that hope is what feeds our work. It is our secret sauce, which is made by mixing together the enthusiasm of the youth with whom we work; the we-can-do-this-together commitment of our partners; and the support of caring, generous supporters across the state.

We thank you for the many ways you lift us up. And, today, we urge you to check our Facebook page often for fresh, inspiring content, which is our way of giving back to you.

Together, we’ll keep hope alive and thriving! 

~ Jeri Bonavia

Thank you so much to our 2021 WAVE of Hope sponsor!

https://www.missmollyscafe.com/
wave2021#WAVEOfHope – WAVE Day of Giving
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WI Budget Action Hub for Gun Violence Prevention

WI Budget Action Hub for Gun Violence Prevention

March 16, 2021 wave2021

Governor Evers included many gun violence prevention efforts in his 2021-2023 biennial Wisconsin budget proposal, including

  • funding a violence interruption grant program
  • requiring background checks to be conducted for firearm sales
  • devising an extreme risk protection injunction procedure

Please demand that the members of Wisconsin’s Joint Committee on Finance and your own legislators prioritize Wisconsinites’ safety by keeping these lifesaving gun violence prevention solutions in Wisconsin’s budget. By emailing, tweeting, submitting a comment, and/or calling, you can make a difference!

Here is a sample message for email, tweet. comment, or call:

Wisconsin needs lifesaving background checks, extreme risk protection orders (ERPO), and funding for community-based violence intervention and prevention programs (VIPP) in our 2021-2023 budget! I urge you to support them.

Send a message to your legislators and the members of the Wisconsin’s Joint Committee on Finance.

Email

Tweet at your legislators and the members of Wisconsin’s Joint Committee on Finance.

This action is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please check back in a couple of days.

Tweet

Submit a budget comment to Wisconsin’s Joint Committee on Finance.

Submit a Comment

Call your state legislators. To do so, click “call” to the right. Then enter your address. Finally, click on “more details” to see your legislators’ phone numbers.

Call

Thank you for working to prevent gun violence in Wisconsin!

wave2021WI Budget Action Hub for Gun Violence Prevention
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WAVE Youth Advisory Council (WYAC)

WAVE Youth Advisory Council (WYAC)

February 8, 2021 wave2021

WAVE Educational Fund is currently recruiting 5-7 committed young leaders to serve on our new WAVE Youth Advisory Council. We are looking for young people who are passionate about seeing positive change in the state of Wisconsin, especially in communities most impacted by gun violence.

Requirements

  • Ages – 16-21
  • Lives in Wisconsin
  • Ability to engage with diverse groups
  • Participation in trainings related to the focus areas
  • Be prepared to fulfill a full term (based on what the council decides a term should be)
  • Willingness to take a leadership role within the council 
  • Be prepared to engage in at least two meetings per month (based on the frequency the council determines)
  • Access to technology that allows you to utilize both video and audio functions
  • Internet access

Why participate?

  • Engage with peers who share a similar interest in making Wisconsin a safer and more equitable place to live
  • Have a voice in the decision-making process of a statewide organization
  • The council will allow you to expand your personal and professional networks
  • Leadership opportunities look great on college applications and to future employers

2021 Application Details

  • The application opens on February 8th, 2021.
  • Applications must be submitted by Friday, March 19th at 5:00 pm CST.
  • You will be contacted by March 24th at 5:00 pm CST if we would like to schedule a phone interview with you.
  • The first council meeting will be held on March 29th at 6:00 pm CST.

How to apply?

If you are interested in serving on the youth council, please apply here: https://forms.gle/z3wPx9xiwoaGC3SNA

Contact Deja Garner at dg@WaveEdFund.org for any questions or technical support.

WAVE is proud to celebrate diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. If there is a part of this description that would lead you to require accommodations, please let us know.

WYAC Framework

Vision Statement (What we hope to achieve): To be created by the council.

Purpose Statement (Why we exist and what we do): To be created by the council.

Description of the Council (Who we are): To be created by the council.

Term of Service: To be determined by the council.

Sample Officer Titles:

  • President
  • Vice-President
  • Secretary
  • Communications Officer
  • Event Coordinator

Examples of Focus Areas:

  • Gun Violence Prevention
  • Racial Justice & Equity
  • Policy
  • Partnerships
  • Community Building
wave2021WAVE Youth Advisory Council (WYAC)
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Wisconsin Voter Information – 2020

Wisconsin Voter Information – 2020

June 26, 2020 wave2021

If you are eligible to vote, we urge you to vote in the August 11th and November 3rd elections this year! (And, to protect yourself and your community from COVID-19, we encourage you to vote absentee.) 

Voting is an essential civic duty to ensure we elect officials who will represent our priorities, including passing evidence-based, lifesaving gun violence prevention policies. 

Your voice deserves to be heard!

Please note: We will do our best to keep the information below up-to-date, but, due to COVID-19, information may change.

Register to Vote & Vote Absentee

  1. Register to vote (or check to make sure you are registered): https://wave.votewisconsin.com/. 

  2. Request an absentee ballot.

    a. Online Form – https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/VoteAbsentee. An acceptable photo ID is required.
    or
    b. Paper Form – Depending on where you live, you may receive a paper “Wisconsin Application for Absentee Ballot” in the mail. An acceptable photo ID is required. You may submit your application and a copy of your ID by mail, fax, email, or in-person at your municipal clerk’s office.

  3. Complete your absentee ballot, and have a witness sign it.

  4. Submit your completed absentee ballot. (It must be received your municipal clerk by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.)

If you need assistance in registering to vote or applying for your absentee ballot, please let us know. You can email us at admin@waveedfund.org.

Dates to Know

Dates To Know For Wisconsin’s August 11, 2020, Partisan Primary Election

July 22, 2020 – Last day to register to vote online or by mail for the August 11th Partisan Primary
August 6, 2020, by 5:00 p.m. – Last day to request an absentee ballot for the August 11th Partisan Primary (To avoid any potential issues and make sure you get your ballot in time, do NOT wait until the last day.)
August 7, 2020, by 5:00 p.m. – Last day to register to vote in-person in your municipal clerk’s office before election day. (You can register to vote in-person at your polling place on election day between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., too, but we recommend that you plan to register in advance if you can.)
August 11, 2020, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. – You can register to vote in-person at your polling place on Election Day, but we recommend that you plan to register in advance if you can.
August 11, 2020, by 8:00 p.m. – Your absentee ballot must be received your municipal clerk by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
August 11, 2020 – Wisconsin Fall Partisan Primary Election Day

Dates to Know for November 3, 2020, General Election

October 14, 2020 – Last day to register to vote online or by mail for the November 3rd General Election
October 29, by 5:00 p.m. – Last day to request an absentee ballot for the November 3, 2020, General Election. (To avoid any potential issues and make sure you get your ballot in time, do NOT wait until the last day.)
October 30, 2020, by 5:00 p.m. – Last day to register to vote in-person in your municipal clerk’s office before election day. (You can register to vote in-person on election day, too, but we recommend that you plan to register in advance if you can.)
November 3, 2020, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. – You can register to vote in-person at your polling place on Election Day, but we recommend that you plan to register in advance if you can.
November 3, 2020, by 8:00 p.m. – Your absentee ballot must be received your municipal clerk by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
November 3, 2020 – General Election Day

wave2021Wisconsin Voter Information – 2020
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Become a WAVE Action Leader

Become a WAVE Action Leader

June 15, 2020 wave2021

Help us inspire new voters!

Scientific research shows that friend-to-friend communication (also known as relational organizing or RO) is a promising way to engage more people civically. Please sign up to be a WAVE Action Leader, who will contact at least five people when called upon to do so by WAVE.

What does it mean to be a WAVE Action Leader?

Being a WAVE Action Leader is very easy yet extremely powerful. We will share a mobile app and calls to action with you to allow you to empower your personal network to become more civically engaged and help us prevent gun violence in Wisconsin.

  1. Sign-up to become a WAVE Action Leader and download the app (see below).
  2. Compile a list of at least five friends, family members, neighbors, or coworkers you agree to contact when WAVE shares a call to action (e.g., pledge to respond to the Census).
  3. Contact those friends when we call on you to do so. (This will likely be about once per month until November 2020 and probably less frequently after that.)
  4. Share the results with us!

How do I sign up to become a WAVE Action Leader?

Empower App Icon

Sign up using this link: https://getempower.com/WAVE. Enter your first name, your last name, and your mobile phone number to create your account. This will allow you to use the Empower (My RVP List) application, which will make the process much easier for you and us!

If you want to participate but are uncomfortable using the app, you can download and fill-out this form to sign-up. Please either email the filled out form to stephanie@waveedfund.org or mail it to P.O. Box 170393, Milwaukee, WI 53217.

WAVE-Action-Leader-Sign-Up-FormDownload

How WAVE Has Already Used Relational Organizing

WAVE has used relational organizing to help people register to vote, pledge to take the 2020 Census, contact their elected officials, and learn about upcoming gun violence prevention (GVP) events. Check out this partner spotlight about us on the Organizing Empowerment Project’s website: https://organizingempowerment.org/blog/partner-spotlight-wave

If you have any questions, please reach out to our Program Director, Heidi, at hrose@waveedfund.org.

wave2021Become a WAVE Action Leader
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GVP Youth Leadership Program

GVP Youth Leadership Program

March 12, 2020 wave2021

Virtual Summer Internship with WAVE
June 15, 2020 – August 7, 2020

Updated May 15, 2020

WAVE (Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort) Educational Fund is a grassroots, statewide, non-profit organization dedicated to preventing gun violence.   

If you are passionate about preventing gun violence and fall between the ages of 14-21, we encourage you to apply for the WAVE’s 2020 virtual summer internship.   

WAVE’s virtual summer internship will help you reach your full potential as leaders by providing you with the opportunity to create a public awareness event, increase advocacy and lobbying skills, learn about non-profit leadership, build community based-collaborations, and direct peer-to-peer gun violence prevention trainings.

2020 summer intern duties:

  • Develop an understanding of Wisconsin’s gun laws and how stronger gun laws save lives.  
  • Use an online platform to complete weekly trainings and skill-building activities.
  • Help increase awareness among youth and their families about the impact and nature of gun violence, as well as the importance of community and political engagement.  
  • Create and update a social media presence related to your gun violence prevention activities.  
  • Learn and teach strategies that help mobilize people to take action to prevent gun violence.   
  • Work with other interns to plan and execute a large-scale public awareness event or virtual campaign. 
  • Assist with virtual voter registration activities.
  • Work a minimum of 50 hours, between 6/15/20 and 8/7/20, to complete the internship.  

Required qualifications:

  • Enthusiasm and optimism about preventing gun violence and a strong desire to share those feelings with others, whether in personal conversations, on social media, or as part of actions or events  
  • Ability to be positive, energetic, reliable, responsible, mature, and willing to engage and interact with diverse populations 
  • Experience with social media platforms and with Google and Microsoft programs, especially MS Excel, is strongly desired
  • Comfort navigating online software either on a tablet or on a computer
  • Experience with social justice, customer service, or political organizing is preferred  
  • Ability to speak Spanish or Hmong is desirable but not required
  • *Capability of providing your transportation (valid driver’s license and auto insurance required), self-arranged transportation, or public transportation, and ability to travel around the Greater Milwaukee area to attend actions and events that occur days, nights, or weekends
  • *Willingness to comply with WAVE’s personal and community protection plan, which will meet or exceed guidelines offered by the Wisconsin Department of Health

Technology Usage

**You will need access to either a laptop or desktop with an internet connection to complete this leadership program. There also may be days when you will need to have access to a phone to dial-in for a discussion or meeting. 

Compensation

  • The internship is paid and will require an average of 6.5 hours per week. Hours will vary weekly based on planned events.  
  • Upon successful completion of the internship, we will award you a stipend.
  • WAVE Ed Fund can also assist interns in providing school/service credit for this internship.  

*Due to COVID-19, these requirements may not apply. It is possible that all of our activities, throughout your employment, will be conducted virtually. If we can conduct in-person activities, your safety, and the safety of our community members, will be the top priority.

**If you do not have unlimited access to either a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer, please include that in the body of your email when applying.

WAVE is proud to celebrate diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. If there is a part of the job description that would lead you to require accommodations, please let us know.

To Apply

Please send a resume and cover letter to Deja Garner at dg@WaveEdFund.org by 5:00 p.m. on June 3rd.

If you do not have a resume and cover letter, please send an email to dg@WaveEdFund.org, answering the following questions. 

Name:
Email:
Phone Number:
Age:
School/College:

  1. What interests you about participating in a gun violence prevention internship? 
  2. What is one thing you would do today to stop gun violence? 
  3. What is your definition of peace? 
  4. Tell us about a time that you made a mistake. How did you handle the situation? 
  5. Describe yourself in three (3) words. 
  6. What are three (3) words that your family and friends would use to describe you? 
  7. Please describe any relevant leadership experience that you have. 
  8. Is there anything else you would like us to know about you? 
wave2021GVP Youth Leadership Program
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