KRISTEN HAMILTON, SAMUEL CASTRO AND BRADLEY JOHNSON.

WE APPRECIATE EACH OF YOU.

NOW LOCAL ORGANIZATION IS WORKING TO EDUCATE TEENS ON THE RISKS OF CARRYING A GUN.

HERNANDEZ SPENT TIME WITH THE GROUP'S LEADERS AND PARTICIPANTS AND JOINS US NOW LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN TO >> AMANDA, NOWADAYS, WE CAN SPEND HOURS ON HER PHONE, SCROLLING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.

THAT'S OF THE ORGANIZATION.

PROJECT UNLOADED IS WORKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT HERE.

A GALLERY.

37, A GROUP OF TEENS ARE WORKING TO EDUCATE OTHERS ON THE RISKS OF CARRYING A GUN BY BECOMING SOCIAL INFLUENCERS FOR CHANGE.

>> I FEEL LIKE IT'S EASIER TO GET A GUN THAN IT IS TO DO.

A LOT OF THINKS LIKE IT'S EASY TO GET A GUN THAN IT IS TO REIN IN CHICAGO.

15 YEAR-OLD LEAH MCLEAN IS ONE OF THE MANY STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN A PROGRAM.

>> AND AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO, OLIVIA BROWN IS LEADING THE INITIATIVE.

WE ARE WORKING WITH TEAMS.

APP.

IS THE MATTERS TOO.

>> TRAIN THEM TO BECOME MARKETING PROFESSIONALS AND USE SOCIAL MEDIA EMPOWER THAN THEIR TEENS.

PUT THE LINK IN MY BIO.

>> TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BROWN IS PART OF A LARGER EFFORT CALLED PROJECT UNLOADED AND ORGANIZATION DRIVEN TO CREATE A NEW CULTURAL NARRATIVE ABOUT GUNS.

>> A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE COME SAYS REALLY HEARTBROKEN.

THEY'RE GRIEVING IN MAY.

YOU KNOW, ARE WANTING MORE.

AND I BEING ABLE TO GET THEM SOME TOOLS FOR HOW TO START THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE THAT THEY LOVE CARE ABOUT AND WANT TO SEE SUCCEED.

>> HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN ALEXIS JACKSON SAYS THAT'S WHY SHE WANTED TO JOIN THE PROGRAM.

ISN'T MYSELF, YOU KNOW, WITH PRIDE THAT THE MOTIVE IN THE U.S. MAKING.

>> MOST THIS STUFF LIKE THAT AND HELPING PEOPLE LIKE TRY TO CONVINCE THEM THAT HAVING A GUN ON THEM IS NOT OKAY AND THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO MAKE YOURSELF SAFE >> THEIR APPROACH IS SIMPLE.

THEY BELIEVE GUNS MAKE US LESS SAFE.

A MESSAGE FOUNDER, NINO VINIK HAS BEEN MORE THAN A DECADE ADVOCATING MOST PEOPLE, INCLUDING MOST YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BOUGHT INTO THE MYTH.

THAT HAVING A GUN IS GOING MAKE THEM SAFER.

BUT IT IS A MYTH.

HOMES WITH GUNS HAVE HIGHER RATES OF SUICIDE AND HOMICIDE ARE AT GREATER RISK OF DYING BY GUN VIOLENCE.

IF YOU HAVE A AT HOME AND COMMUNITIES WITH MORE GUNS HAVE MORE GUN VIOLENCE, NOT THE ORGANIZATION HOPES TO REACH YOUNG PEOPLE DIGITALLY BY BUILDING SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO SPARK ACTION AMONG COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE.

THEIR MOST RECENT CAMPAIGN GUNS CHANGE THE STORY IS ONE OF THEM.

SO THE IDEA BEHIND GUNS CHANGE THE STORY IS TO HELP TEENS UNDERSTAND HOW EVERYDAY MOMENTS IN THEIR LIVES CAN REALLY CHANGE IN AN INSTANT WHEN A GUNMAN ENTERS THE PICTURE.

BUT I WAS LIKE OUTSIDE SCHOOL WITH A GROUP OF STUDENTS FRUSTRATED WITH SENSE THAT SO SHOT RIGHT IN FRONT MONTHS.

>> 19 YEAR-OLD AND GAR VILCHES HAS BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOR A YEAR.

>> GROWING UP THE MOMENT, KAGAN.

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS TURNING ON CERTAIN NEWS NETWORKS.

AND HERE IN THE HEADLINES YOU GUYS SAW GUN HAPPEN.

OR FROM PERSON EXPERIENCING A GUN TIME.

MY SCHOOL AND I KNEW THAT IT WAS NOTHING THAT SHOULD BE NORMALIZE.

>> NOW IN HIS FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE, THOSE WHO SAYS HIS PASSION FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION HAS GROWN THANKS TO THIS PROGRAM.

IT WAS A NEW WAY TO TARGET AN ISSUE AND START A MOVEMENT OF YOUNG LEADERS.

>> SO I DECIDED TO APPLY HERE PART OF THE PROJECT, A LOADED NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL.

>> DO A GOOD CHANGE.

YOUR STORY OF THE LOW COMMUNITY OF TEENS BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE.

AND RICK, I HATE TO SAY >> INSTRUCTURE OLIVIA BROWN SAYS SHE STARTED ORGANIZING AT 14 YEARS OLD.

THROUGH HER LIVED EXPERIENCES.

SHE EDUCATES STUDENTS GUIDES THEM TO BE THE CHANGE THEY WANT TO SEE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

>> AS THEY LEARN MORE OF THE FACTS.

>> YOU SEE THE SHIP FROM.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE I CAN DO ANYTHING OR I DON'T KNOW IF MY VOICE MATTERS TO WEIGH.

IT ACTUALLY DOES.

AND IF I AM COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO USE MY VOICE, THEN GOOD THINGS CAN HAPPEN.

SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY FUN TO >> AND THE ORGANIZATION SAYS IT HAS REACHED CLOSE TO 150,000 TEENS ACROSS CHICAGO THROUGH THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA