In observance of the start of the 2024-25 school year, the anti-gun-violence nonprofit Artist For Action has launched launches a new campaign entitled, “Not That Lucky” in partnership with NEON and IPG Health.
The campaign’s photo makes an unmistakable reference to the assassination attempt on former President Trump, featuring a photo of a teenaged female with a bandage over her ear and the caption, “Not everyone is that lucky.”
Artist for Action to Prevent Gun Violence designed to inspire people to volunteer, donate and vote to end the epidemic of gun violence plaguing the United States. Artists involved include Billie Eilish, Sheryl Crow, Peter Gabriel, Nile Rodgers and more. AFA offers a platform to engage in gun violence prevention and launched last year with a series of concerts and events, including a performance by Bush and special guests at New York’s Irving Plaza.
Each day 12 children die from gun violence in America and another 32 are shot and injured. In this culturally relevant campaign, images of children of various ages and backgrounds, generated by AI, portray the epidemic of gun violence in US schools and highlight how this growing crisis doesn’t just impact one age group or race. The ads include the thought-provoking phrase, “Not everyone is that lucky.”
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Led by musician Mark Barden, whose son was one of the 26 people murdered in the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, the organization also includes the Pixies, LP, Old Crow Medicine Show, Halestorm, Rozzi, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town and more.
“After my son Daniel was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School, I put my career as a professional guitarist on hold to devote myself to preventing gun violence,” Barden said. “Please join me and hundreds of other artists, musicians, actors, athletes, and people like you to finally end this senseless violence.”
Billie Eilish said for last year’s campaign, “As a community of Artists, we need to band together to make common sense change.”
“This needs to stop,” said Peter Gabriel. “So many needless deaths. So much suffering. It just needs a little common sense.”
According to the Gun Violence Archive, 2023 is likely to be the deadliest year of gun violence on record, with the U.S. now averaging more than one mass shooting a day. Artist for Action’s mission is to prevent gun violence by forming a coalition of musicians to act and help reduce and eliminate the epidemic of gun violence in America. The platform, available here, makes it simple for artists to activate fans to get involved with gun violence prevention and other life-enriching grassroots organizations in their communities and take direct action.