New Student Organization Brings Gun Violence Prevention to Campus

A new student organization dedicated to preventing gun violence has officially launched at Loyola, inspired by a founding member’s personal connection to the 2023 Michigan State University mass shooting and driven by a commitment to turning “outrage into action.”

Students Demand Action (SDA) completed its first year of establishment and held its inaugural meeting Sept. 24, marking the beginning of what organizers hope will become a significant voice in campus safety advocacy. President Fiona Mazeikis announced that the organization joins a national network of grassroots chapters focused on ending gun violence through education, fundraising, awareness campaigns and community activism, according to the Students Demand Action website.

The organization’s founding stemmed from club President Fiona Mazeikis’ personal gun violence experience. Mazeikis’ sister survived the February 2023 Michigan State University shooting — an event which altered her life and educational trajectory.

Mazeikis shared about her sister, who transferred to the University of Minnesota due to the memories of the Michigan shooting. 

Mazeikis said her sister started her own chapter of SDA at the University of Minnesota. Her sister has been an ongoing inspiration to Mazeikis in the process of establishing an SDA organization at Loyola.

“We’re not anti-gun — we just want people to be safe,” Mazeikis said. “This is about gun violence prevention, awareness and keeping people safe.”

The newly established chapter has already planned several initiatives for the academic year, combining fundraising efforts with educational programming. A fundraiser partnership with Insomnia Cookies is currently in development, with proceeds designated to go to Nonviolence Chicago — a local organization which approaches gun violence as a public health intervention.

Insomnia Cookies was involved in a shooting when a victim entered the store seeking help after a violent altercation which took place 200 feet away from the storefront, The Phoenix previously reported.

The chapter’s first major event, “Taco bout it with Bushra,” is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Nov. 12. The event will feature Bushra Amiwala, member of the Skokie Board of Education, activist and politician currently running for Congress in Illinois’ 9th district.

Beyond campus programming, SDA is building partnerships with established organizations both on campus and in the broader Chicago community. The chapter plans to collaborate with Loyola’s Political Discourse organization and Loyola Against Gun Violence while also working with Stop the Bleed — a national program which teaches emergency response skills.

The organization must navigate university guidelines which limit partisan political activities.

“We’re willing to work with politicians, but through Loyola, we can’t endorse specific candidates,” Mazeikis said. “We’re a non-partisan group focused on being anti-gun violence.”

Similarly, participation in protests requires careful consideration of university policies and extensive paperwork. For now, members interested in protest activities would need to participate as individuals rather than under the SDA banner.

As the organization completes its foundational year, leadership is exploring opportunities for growth and expanded programming. The chapter remains open to event ideas and community outreach, recognizing building awareness will be crucial to long-term success.

“This first meeting is really our first event, so we’re willing to do volunteer outreach and explore different formats for engagement,” Mazeikis noted.

Mazeikis said the process of getting approved was long and the training was extensive. The first year was dedicated to establishing the organization and getting all the documents and paperwork done.

Working with Campus Activities and New Student Programs required detailed constitutional documents and multiple review periods. Even seemingly simple decisions, like finalizing the organization’s name, required dedicated meetings to ensure transparency about the group’s mission and activities, according to Mazeikis.

First-year Jaylen Poindexter — who isn’t a member of SDA — said he thinks this organization is a good way to raise awareness about gun violence. 

Poindexter said he is interested in seeing how the organization stays true to their mission of bipartisanship considering how polarizing the subject can be. 

“Unfortunately, due to division, gun violence will always be a political issue, even though it shouldn’t,” Poindexter said. “It should be a unified way to keep everyone safe.”