By Valentina Toro
Features Editor
A new student-led chapter of Students Demand Action is taking root at the university, driven by a personal connection to gun violence and a desire to give students a platform for change.
Interdisciplinary studies major Grayson Mott-Morin, a junior and the chapter’s president, said the timing felt urgent, particularly after recent campus and national incidents that heightened safety concerns.
“I’ve always been passionate about gun safety, especially growing up in Connecticut when Sandy Hook happened,” MottMorin said. “I had family who were in the school that day. They weren’t victims, but it’s always stayed with me. It just reinforced that this is something we need here.”
The Students Demand Action chapter at the university, affiliated with the national Everytown for Gun Safety movement, focuses on gun violence prevention and civic engagement.
The 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting left a lasting mark across Connecticut, shaping conversations about school safety and firearm legislation statewide.
For Mott-Morin, those memories coupled with more recent campus safety scares made bringing Students Demand Action to the university necessary.
The club was already in the approval process when a campus threat occurred last year, but the incident strengthened the group’s resolve.
Mott-Morin said the goal is not to create fear but to provide students with tools and opportunities to take action in ways that align with their interests and comfort levels.
The main mission of Students Demand Action, Mott-Morin explained, is to give students resources to engage in activism surrounding gun safety.
That involvement can range from educational programming to political participation.
“We want students to feel like they’re not helpless,” Mott-Morin said. “Whether that’s working on a campaign, learning about legislation or just understanding what’s happening, we want to give them resources so they don’t just have to sit and watch what’s going on in the world.”
The club plans to host presentations on gun safety, voter registration drives and informational sessions explaining how legislation works and how students can participate in advocacy efforts.
Protests may also take place, either on campus or in nearby areas such as the New Haven Green or the Capitol in Hartford.
In addition to activism and civic engagement, the group hopes to screen documentaries that highlight personal stories and the broader impact of gun violence worlwide.
Mott-Morin said these events are intended to foster conversation and awareness rather than division.
For its first semester as a recognized organization, the primary goal is visibility and momentum.
Leaders and members hope to introduce the chapter to campus and build a foundation for long-term engagement.
Mott-Morin says the club is positioned to serve as a resource hub whether students are interested in policy, grassroots organizing or simply learning more about gun violence prevention.
By offering different entry points for involvement, the club aims to meet students where they are.
“This semester is about getting started and letting people know we’re here,” Mott-Morin said. “We want Southern students to know they have a place to turn if they care about gun safety and want to make a difference.”
