Opinion: Gun Reform Is a Black Issue, Too — We Just Talk About It Differently
When the conversation turns to gun reform, it’s often framed as a political standoff: red versus blue, rural versus urban, freedom versus regulation. But what’s frequently left out of the conversation is how gun violence disproportionately affects Black communities—and how our communities uniquely understand and articulate the urgency of reform.
In cities like Chicago, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, the toll of gun violence isn’t just a headline—it’s a daily reality. Yet, our cries for change are often dismissed or minimized, overshadowed by political posturing that rarely accounts for the lived experience of communities on the front lines of this crisis.
I know this firsthand. In 2023, I found myself caught in the middle of a shootout near the South Side of Chicago. Several cracks of gunfire shattered the air without warning, sending everyone scattering for cover. In that moment, the abstract concept of gun reform became terrifyingly real. It wasn’t just a news cycle—it was life or death. It was survival.
A Different Conversation
When Black communities talk about gun violence, it’s rarely just about mass shootings in schools or public spaces, although those tragedies are no less heartbreaking. For us, the conversation includes the constant threat of community violence, the ripple effects of poverty and systemic neglect, and the trauma that reshapes our neighborhoods. It’s about the mother who has to bury her son before his 18th birthday, the children who walk past memorials on their way to school, and the community leaders who work tirelessly to create safe spaces amid danger.
We also talk about reform differently. While mainstream debates swirl around background checks and assault rifle bans, Black organizers are pushing for community-based intervention programs, conflict resolution training, and investments in mental health support. Organizations like Cure Violence and Advance Peace have been leading the charge with evidence-based programs that focus on interrupting cycles of violence before they begin. These are grassroots solutions led by people who know the streets, not just policy wonks in Washington.
Reframing the Narrative
Gun reform for Black communities isn’t just about legislation; it’s about survival. Yet, mainstream narratives often erase this nuance, simplifying the conversation to fit a political agenda that doesn’t serve us. Our demands for change are real and urgent, but they’re not always filtered through the lens of partisan politics. They’re born from lived experience, collective grief, and the hope that our neighborhoods can thrive without the constant threat of violence.
When Black communities say we want safer streets, it’s not a call for overpolicing or criminalization. It’s a call for real investment—economic, educational, and emotional. It’s a demand for the resources that allow us to address the root causes of violence rather than just its aftermath.
The Path Forward
If gun reform is going to be truly transformative, it must include the voices of Black communities, not just as victims, but as thought leaders and solution architects. It’s time to recognize that our conversations about gun violence are just as valid, just as urgent, and just as necessary for shaping effective policies.
For too long, the national debate has left us out of the room or tokenized our tragedies without listening to our solutions. That has to change. Because gun reform is a Black issue, too—we just talk about it differently.
