On Friday, Nov. 1, hundreds of educators, researchers, law enforcement officers, parents and individuals from a variety of positions from across the country gathered to discuss gun violence in the United States. The Minnesota Gun Violence Research Summit hosted a conference to share stories and research in the hopes of unifying people together to discuss solutions to gun violence issues.
Hamline University based Violence Prevention Project Research Center, founded by professors Dr. Jillian Peterson and Dr. James Densley, organized this summit to share newly released databases the research center created. These databases cover a variety of areas from data on gun-related homicides at houses of worship to homicides in educational facilities. To address this range of areas gun violence affects, the summit had three “experience speakers” who had either lost a loved one or personally experienced gun violence. They then presented four panels with experts to discuss schools, communities, homes and solutions in the hope of promoting the discussion.
“This issue we know can be quite divisive, and the intent here is to really bring everybody to the table to have an open dialogue and to learn from experts and to listen to one another as well,” Densely said.
The expert panelists come from a variety of backgrounds and positions. The summit provided insight from professors, researchers, medical professionals, politicians and others with expertise surrounding some aspects of gun violence. This range of experts was intended to bridge the gap on an issue that typically feels divided.
“[Gun violence] feels so black and white and you’re either on one side or the other. We are trying to embrace the complexity and the gray and how we can use that to come together,” Peterson said.
This summit not only looked at different perspectives but also looked at the complexity of gun violence as well. Hamline student and research assistant for The Violence Project, junior Anna Schmidt, emphasized gun violence prevention work can not be limited to one event or moment, but a collection of many issues.
“I really hope that people look at the entire process of the steps to prevention rather than just the [shooting]. While the event itself is horrific, stopping that is obviously a priority, I hope that people from all areas of political affiliation and life come together to have a conversation rather than just laying it on one thing because it’s not just one thing it’s so many things that are the problem,” Schmidt said.
Gun violence is a complex issue with many perspectives and experiences, but the main point of agreement at the summit was that violence needs to be limited. Hamline alumni and attendee of the gun violence summit, Molly Hauf, attended the event to see the specific data presented and how these results can be used to spark change.
“Ultimately, I’m just interested in learning more kind of about how we can help reduce gun violence, that’s actually something I am working on in my job as a crime analyst, so I just wanted to learn more to continue getting a wide variety of perspectives because there is a lot of data and research that can be used to help prevention,” Hauf said.
This summit was focused on changes outside of strict government regulation and what steps everyday people can take to prevent gun violence in their community.
“Hopefully people will be inspired to think differently, sometimes with gun violence it feels like if the government doesn’t do something then there’s nothing we can do and we’re hoping people feel empowered, like there is stuff I can do in my own life,” Peterson said.
Throughout the panels, speakers emphasized the importance of building relationships and looking at gun violence on a personal level. Panelist and Violence Prevention Specialist for the Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS), Shannon Hill, highlighted the work that she does and that others can do to build relationships and networks that support those who may commit an act of gun violence. Hill believes this is an ongoing process that needs to continue to be addressed outside of the gun violence summit.
“We need to make sure we continue to collaborate and talk and bring everybody to the table to talk about the importance of gun violence,” Hill said.