Meet Laney Sheffel

We recently connected with Laney Sheffel and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Laney , thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
I work in gun violence prevention. When people hear this, they often ask me, “How can you deal with such harrowing topics every day?” Surprising to some, I believe there are several reasons to be optimistic about gun reform in the United States. One factor contributing to this optimism is the rise of youth activism, like what we’re seeing in London.

In recent years, youth-led gun violence prevention movements have gained significant attention and mobilized thousands of young people across the country to advocate for stricter gun laws. These movements have brought the issue of gun violence to the forefront of public discourse and have pressured lawmakers to take action.

We’re seeing youth activists effectively utilize social media platforms, art, and their lived experiences to amplify their message and organize protests and workshops. Furthermore, many young people are becoming more politically engaged. They’re registering to vote, giving testimony, contacting their elected representatives, and running for office themselves. This heightened political engagement has the potential to translate into meaningful policy change on issues like gun reform.

Youth activists are working alongside gun violence prevention organizations like Colorado Ceasefire to enact real change. Our efforts have led to the passage of critical legislation in Colorado, such as universal background checks, red flag laws, and restrictions on high-capacity magazines. We’re seeing our efforts translate at the federal level, where the Biden-Harris administration has enacted unprecedented levels of support and attention to gun violence prevention.

I’m grateful that youth activism shows no signs of slowing down. New generations of activists are emerging to carry the torch and build on the progress made by their predecessors. This sustained momentum bodes well for the future of gun reform in the United States.

Of course, I do want to note that while youth activism plays a crucial role in gun violence prevention, it is unfair to place the burden of solving this complex societal problem solely on the shoulders of young people. Instead, adults should actively support and empower youth-led movements while also taking responsibility for enacting policy changes and addressing the underlying factors contributing to gun violence. While responsibility ultimately lies with adults, the rise of youth activism offers a promising path forward. By harnessing their energy, passion, and determination, everyone has the potential to drive meaningful change and create a safer and more just society for all.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Colorado Ceasefire is the longest-running grassroots gun violence prevention organization throughout the State of Colorado. We are parents, teachers, students, community members, and gun violence survivors (and more) who have been working since 2000 to prevent and reduce gun violence in Colorado. We provide education, outreach, and legislative advocacy to reduce gun violence in our communities because we envision a state free from gun violence.

Through legislative advocacy, our organization has supported the passage of critical gun violence prevention bills for over 20 years. Including increasing the minimum age to purchase firearms, safe storage laws, Extreme Risk Protection Laws, Universal Background Checks, a ban on ghost guns, and more. The education and outreach arm of the organization educates the community about these laws and other ways they can reduce violence in their communities. In 2023 alone, we provided over 1500 Coloradans training and information sessions on gun violence prevention.

We follow grass-roots community organizing principles to engage and interact across the Colorado community. We participate in townhalls and tabling events across Colorado, we offer Spanish resources, and everything we offer is entirely free of charge, so income never acts as a barrier to reducing gun violence
Colorado Ceasefire hosts free youth workshops to discuss gun violence. These workshops help youth explore what it is and how it impacts them. We also discuss how gun violence is normalized in our media, how some minority groups are affected by gun violence more than others, and how gun violence is intersectional with other issues, such as domestic violence. We then teach students about Extreme Risk Protection Orders, Safe2Tell, and Safe Storage as critical tools they should be aware of to reduce gun violence. We also encourage youth to sign up for our e-newsletter to stay informed, get involved at the Capitol, intern with us, or volunteer.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
A critical and often overlooked quality of nonprofit leaders is showing an open mind and having empathy. We know that gun violence is a tough topic, so rather than forcing people to listen to us, we meet them where they are. Some groups aren’t ready to discuss Extreme Risk Protection Orders, so we start with Safe Storage, which more folks already support. We also consider who isn’t getting this information and what gaps may exist. For example, we contacted the Audio Information Network, a Colorado podcast for the blind, and asked if we could have air time to talk about ERPO and Safe Storage. Now, our PSAs run year-long on their programming. We also contacted 988 to see if they needed help with ERPO, and they were eager for support. Now, every 988 staff member goes through Ceasefire ERPO training. Instead of forcing our agenda, we work with folks who may not be used to this topic and make this a comfortable and engaging topic for them. An empathetic and open mind will reach far more people.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Gun violence is undeniably affecting youth in so many ways. It’s the number one cause of death for US children. The pain of the gun violence epidemic causes physical and emotional trauma, can disrupt students’ education, desensitizes youth to violence, and causes youth to lose trust in their own community. After a shooting, adults may take for granted that we can avoid certain places more easily. Many of us may have switched grocery stores after the King Soopers shooting or stopped going out after Club Q. Colorado students don’t have the option not to go to school after a school shooting; they’re forced to engage in this issue every day.

Because of this, I ask anyone passionate about reducing gun violence to visit ColoradoCeasefire.org. On our website, you can learn about our work, sign up to volunteer, learn about critical gun violence prevention tools, contact your legislators, or book a speaker to give a workshop in your community. Or email me at [email protected] and tell me what idea you have to reduce gun violence in your community. I’d love to work with you to make your vision a reality.

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