Stories, Not Statistics |

The statistics are alarming, but the stories about gun violence in the United States are painful. It's the stories that will make a difference. They are difficult to hear and even more difficult to tell, but without these stories, gun violence will seem an abstract, insurmountable problem.

School-age children are dying in brutal, gruesome ways everyday in our country. Young men believe that the average life span in their communities is 20 years. That's how long they see many of their peers living. Mothers and fathers are paralyzed with grief; siblings are hurt and confused; friends are vengeful. Police officers are in greater danger and less effective. The cycle continues.

Most people in the United States understand that there is a lot of gun violence in our country. Movies like “Bowling for Columbine” and recent Town Hall meetings with gun-wielding protestors indicate that guns are a vital of the fabric of our nation. But fewer people understand the deep, lasting effect gun violence has on our communities and our nation.

DCTV began this national media campaign about gun violence after the making of "Bullets in the Hood: A Bed-Stuy Story" in 2005. This award-winning film was made by two of DCTV's PRO-TV students, NYC teenagers who wanted to talk about gun violence in their neighborhood. "Beyond Bullets" is designed to open up a national conversation about how gun violence affects young people across the country and why we just can't seem to get it to stop.

This campaign is not all about the tragedy, however. With so many exceptional people working to make a difference on this issue across the country, and so many young people ready to set positive examples for their peers, "Beyond Bullets" draws attention to life in spite of violence and encourages more people to step forth and make their voices heard.