Change The Ref was founded to give American youth the tools they need to be empowered to make changes to critical issues that affect the United States, through education, conversation, and activism. It uses urban art and nonviolent creative confrontation to expose the disastrous effects of mass shootings and gun violence. It also brings focus to the NRA’s corrupt maneuvers to buy lawmakers, while forcing solutions which are essential to healing mass shooting victims’ families’ lifelong grief.

Change The Ref’s ultimate goal is to give the young generation of survivors and victims a disrupting voice to help lead the way to change – a more peaceful future. Founded in the memory of their son Joaquin who was one of the 17 victims of the MSD High School (Parkland) shooting, Manuel and Patricia Oliver are committed to making sure that their son’s life and the lives of the other 16 victims are never forgotten and that real change happens to prevent future tragedies like this from happening ever again.

The only way that will occur is if we have the ability to engage the next generation and the generations after to get involved, fight for their values and beliefs and have their voices heard!