In our most recent survey of 1,085 Gen Z across the US, 78% say addressing gun violence in America is important to them, with over one-third (35%) saying it is extremely important to them. When it comes to gun violence—young people are more likely to agree regardless of political leaning than might be expected. Among those who identify as conservative, the majority (58%) agree that we need to do something to address this issue. When we ask specifically about universal background checks, or if they believe everyone should have to confirm they don’t have a criminal history before they can buy a gun in America, regardless of where or how they buy it—76% of Gen Z say yes. This includes 68% of self-identifying conservatives and 80% of self-identifying liberals. 

For young people, gun violence is a pressing reality—41% say societal issues including gun violence are impacting their mental health. One 15-year-old in West Virginia shared, “I am scared to go to school with the gun violence in my country.” And a 17-year-old in Tennessee, a state that now allows adults to carry guns without a permit, told us, “I feel incredibly unsafe going outside as myself because of the recent gun laws that have been passed (especially with the spike in Asian hate crimes).”

We know Gen Z is eager to see brands do something even (especially!) on the tough issues, and this is one. So we were thrilled to hear Levi’s CEO, Chip Bergh, continue to advocate for gun sense legislation. Last Friday, he told CNN, “When it comes to gun control, gun violence is ripping this country apart. It’s almost every single day you’re hearing about another incident. So this is important to us as a country... We’re just calling for legislation that will make our world a safer place.” We agree. We need more laws like the partial ban on no-knock warrants that recently passed in Kentucky, not the one in Tennessee. 

On this and so many other issues, brands must use their platforms boldly to drive positive change forward. If you’re still in doubt, take a page from Levi’s. As Chip Bergh said last Friday, “We’re committed to making change. This company has been around for 180 years. A big part of the reason I believe we’ve been around for 180 years is we’ve not been afraid to take a position on issues that are really, really important and not been afraid to stick our neck out on these tough issues.”

Slow. Clap.

Methodology: Survey of 1,085 DoSomething members in the US ages 13–25, with responses taken April 2, 2021 — April 5, 2021.