Guns and lies in America: decoding community gun violence in California
Guns and Lies started in 2019 as a yearlong project investigating what worked to reduce the daily toll of gun violence in California’s San Francisco Bay area, a region that had defied expectations and seen a dramatic decline in gun homicides. The project continued after its first anniversary to explore the convergence of gun violence, the coronavirus pandemic and the movement for racial justice in the region. Now in its third year, the series has expanded its scope to the entire state, examining the dynamics behind the renewed rise in daily gun violence and spotlighting community-led solutions.
Our stories delve into the intersection of gun violence with education, gentrification, policing, criminal justice reform, inequality and health. The project is committed to challenging the myths and misconceptions of gun violence in national conversations by highlighting the people and innovative programs working to curb violence, offering rigorous data-driven analysis, and amplifying the voices of those affected by everyday gun violence.
Go here for more details on how to pitch a story for the series.
The project is funded in part by a grant to theguardian.org from the California Wellness Foundation (Cal Wellness). Created in 1992 as a private independent foundation, Cal Wellness aims to protect and improve the health and wellness of the people of California by increasing access to healthcare, quality education, good jobs, healthy environments and safe neighborhoods.
All of our journalism is editorially independent and follows GNM’s published editorial code. The Guardian is committed to open journalism, recognizing that the best understanding of the world is achieved when we collaborate, share knowledge, encourage debate, welcome challenge, and harness the expertise of specialists and their communities. Funding from our readers makes this work possible and helps protect our independence.
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Unless otherwise stated, all statements and materials, including any statements regarding specific legislation, reflect the views of the individual contributors and not those of the California Wellness Foundation, theguardian.org, or the Guardian.