Taking Action to End Gun Violence:

The Top Tools, Resources, Stories, and Data

Gun violence is a public health crisis. In the wake of two devastating mass shootings just 10 days apart—the Buffalo grocery store shooting (May 14, 2022) and the Uvalde school shooting (May 24, 2022)—our national attention has again turned to firearms. Far from isolated incidents, these shootings follow disturbing trends of dramatic increases in gun violence since the onset of COVID-19. In 2020, gun homicides rose 33% across the U.S. and gun violence surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of death among youth and children. Learn about the root causes of gun violence, explore key actions to take, and browse dozens of newly curated resources on this important topic.

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Civic Virus: Why Polarization Is a Misdiagnosis

Every politician and media outlet in the country will tell you that Americans are more polarized than ever before. In this report, Rich Harwood sheds light on what's missing from conventional wisdom. Rather than being "more polarized than ever," Harwood explains that Americans are experiencing high levels of fear, anxiety, and a lack of empathy and belonging. Learn more about this commonly misunderstood phenomenon, as well as actional steps for galvanizing communities, unifying messaging, and networking public innovators.

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The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise: How Physical Activity Can Help You Become Less Anxious, Depressed, and Stressed

Physical activity helps improve physical and brain health, and reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancers, and premature death. People who engage in physical activity on a regular basis also have lower rates of mental health conditions and higher rates of emotional well-being. Learn about the mental health benefits of physical activity, how promoting physical activity can support population mental health, and ways to design environments for increased physical activity.

New Topic on PHERN: Public Health Workforce Development and Diversity

The public health workforce plays an essential role in securing the vital conditions for health and well-being for all to thrive. A skilled, resourced, and robust public health workforce is needed to meet the demands of public health today and prepare for the needs of tomorrow. A diverse public health workforce is better equipped to address the needs of the most impacted and marginalized, and implement population health strategies. Learn more about the future of the public health workforce and explore dozens of curated resources on PHERN--the Public Health and Equity Resource Navigator.

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Local News Deserts Expanding: Here's What We'll Lose

About 2,200 local print newspapers have closed since 2005, and the number of newspaper journalists fell by more than half between 2008 and 2020. In many places where papers still exist, a lack of resources prevents them from reporting thoroughly on issues vital to the community—issues like public safety, education and local politics. Learn more about what is really being lost--the local controversies, wrongdoings, and human-interest stories of our nation's most underrepresented communities. Explore some of these stories—as told by local journalists.

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Pub Trawlr

Only 14% of published scientific journal articles filter down to the people who can benefit from them. When they do, they are often outdated. A 17-year gap exists between when research is published in scientific literature and when the public at large actually uses it. PubTrawlr works to close the research-practic gap by helping people search and understand scientific results more efficiently and effectively. Explore this web platform and leverage its on-demand artificial intelligence to find timely research and journal articles on important topics.

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Decolonize Data

The social sector aims to empower communities with tools and knowledge to effect change for themselves, because community-driven change is more impactful and sustainable than forced change from the outside. This commitment should include data, which is increasingly essential for generating social impact. Learn about who rightfully owns data, data as a renewable resources, and the steps we can take to begin decolonizing data and building back data equity in our communities.

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Tribal Health: Reinvesting in the Indian Health Service