Designing for Safety: Community, Policy, and the Legacy of Gun Violence in our Memorial Landscape

Photo courtesy by Mass Design Group

This session, hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, MASS Design Group, and the Institute on Policing, Incarceration, and Public Safety at Harvard, delves into the intersection of community violence, public safety, and design. Drawing on the experiences and impact of the Gun Violence Memorial Project, which has been on display in Boston since the end of August, this conversation examines how we can redirect public attention to gun violence in ways that genuinely honor community mourning, avoiding exploitation, inspiring meaningful change.

Through the lens of Boston’s unique challenges and opportunities, we’ll explore critical questions:

• How can we activate monuments to foster policy advocacy and serve as calls to action?
• What does the closing of the Memorial Project’s installation mean for Boston’s ongoing work in gun violence prevention? 
• How do we reframe narratives about gun violence and gun violence prevention to deepen understanding and drive collective action and survivor advocacy?

Join thought leaders in public safety, design, and advocacy as we consider the power of memorials to shape the future of policy, community healing, and gun violence prevention in Boston and beyond.