WAVE Educational Fund focuses on gun violence prevention education and awareness, community engagement, and policy through an equity lens.

WAVE fills a vital role rallying public support, pressing for action, and giving people across our state a place to turn for trusted information and bold leadership on gun violence prevention policies.

WAVE volunteers outside of Respresntative Ott's office

Advancing Public Policy

We work at the local, state and federal levels to push for lifesaving, evidence-based policies and laws that will keep us safe and support peace. 

2024

WAVE supporters made their voices heard, sending thousands of messages to Wisconsin’s elected officials in support of commonsense gun laws. Once again, not a single one of the gun lobby’s deadly priorities became law.

We continued our work leading Wisconsin’s Gun Violence Prevention Coalition and the Wisconsin Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Coalition. Wisconsin now has more local offices of violence prevention than any state other than California. 

We worked with other grassroots organizations to defeat a proposed constitutional amendment in the August election, which would have made it difficult for the governor to respond quickly to emergencies.

Wisconsin received new legislative maps, leading to a state legislature that will more accurately reflect the will of Wisconsinites. In response, we updated our strategic plan to meet the moment and be well-prepared for the next legislative session. 

Federally, the ATF finalized a new rule, which we had heavily advocated for, drastically reducing the number of gun sales that can take place without a background check.

2023

Based on public enthusiasm, WAVE’s legislative allies in Wisconsin introduced a wide array of gun violence prevention bills, including bills on every one of our top policy priorities. 

In September, over 100 people enthusiastically attended our Gun Violence Prevention Day of Action at Wisconsin’s capitol.

Legislators in historically red and purple districts reported that they were increasingly hearing about the need for gun violence prevention policies from their constituents, and we saw a substantial increase in bipartisan cooperation. 

At the federal level, we were honored to begin a partnership with the brand new White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. 

We continued to lead a coalition to champion Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs and supported Racine and Green Bay as they created new CVI programs in their cities.

Community Engagement

WAVE’s supporters actively participate in our work for gun violence prevention, justice, and democracy. We come together to support one another in person and at virtual events. We host film screenings, memorials, rallies, and educational presentations. We support civic engagement and help educate the public about important issues like voter registration and voting.

WAVE also frequently takes part in events hosted by partner organizations. We especially seek to partner with and support Black- and Brown-led organizations focused on gun violence prevention, equity, and civic engagement.

2024

We hosted a virtual discussion with Dominic Erdozain, author of One Nation Under Guns, as well as educational events to raise awareness about Community Violence Intervention and to update people about important policy progress. 

In the spring, we worked with the Carthage College Theater Department and ENOUGH! Founder, Michael Cotey, to support and promote an original play telling the story of healthcare workers who see the impact of gun violence in their clinics and operating rooms. 

Inspired by the success of the 2023 Emergency Gun Violence Summit, we once again worked with Forward Latino and the 80% Coalition to host a second summit, this time with nearly 500 attendees. WAVE’s executive director, Jeri Bonavia, once again was a featured speaker alongside representatives from Johns Hopkins University, the deputy directors of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, Governor Tony Evers, and others. 

2023

In May, WAVE assisted Forward Latino and 80% Coalition in hosting an Emergency Gun Violence Summit, which was attended by over 250 people. WAVE’s executive director, Jeri Bonavia, gave the keynote address, and WAVE’s Policy and Strategic Partnerships Manager sat on a panel. Additionally, we held our annual Peace Through Music fundraiser in person at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn.

In June, we helped organize, host, and publicize Milwaukee’s Wear Orange events for National Gun Violence Awareness Day in close collaboration with several other organizations.

We promoted and participated in many other local events throughout the year to strengthen connections and help educate people about gun violence.

Family smiling at the camera holding a sign that says "We Care"
Two hands are holding a tablet. On the tablet is information about gun violence in Wisconsin. Photo is taken from above, so it seems like you are the person holding the tablet.

Education & Awareness

We work to educate the public about gun violence through speaking engagements, attending public events, our email list, and our social media channels.

2024

We partnered with the Violence Policy Center to publish Gun Death in Wisconsin, a report highlighting the ways in which gun violence devastates both rural and urban communities across the state. 

We tabled and spoke at many events throughout the year, raising awareness about the root causes of, and solutions to, gun violence. 

In addition to our gun violence prevention education, we also notified people about important election deadlines throughout the year, ensuring that all Wisconsinites were prepared to use their voices in every election. 

Our annual Youth Summer Internship culminated in a special event organized by the young people to raise awareness about the disturbing number of people in Wisconsin who are killed each year by guns. 

2023

WAVE staff spoke at a variety of events to raise awareness, including speaking to:

  • March For Our Lives, Marquette chapter
  • Wauwatosa West High School
  • Congress School, Milwaukee
  • Washington High School, Milwaukee
  • Coffee Makes You Black
  • The American Independent
  • Wisconsin Voices
  • Persisters

Additionally, WAVE staff sat on several panels for discussions on effective gun violence prevention policies, and we tabled at public events throughout the year. 

We continued sharing information through emails,social media, and printable PDFs about the causes of and solutions to gun violence.

See Our Activities and Achievements by Year