Survivors must have total control over how, when, and where their stories are shared. They must also have the right to withdraw their story at any time without penalty.
Politicians respond to voters, and voters respond to emotional stimuli. The movement, following the Parkland shooting, was driven entirely by the survivor-students of the massacre. When Emma González stood in silence for six minutes and forty seconds—the length of the shooting—the nation held its breath. No statistic about gun violence has ever been as powerful as that silence. Survivor stories turn a legislative issue into a moral indictment.
An awareness campaign is the vehicle that delivers these vital stories to the public. However, visibility alone is not enough. The most successful campaigns in recent history share a specific framework that moves audiences from passive awareness to measurable action.
Utilize video, podcasts, and social media to meet audiences where they are.
