WHAT: “ Sign Their Yearbook ,” a campaign built around the fact that–for children and teens killed by guns–the tradition of getting your yearbook signed at the end of the school year isn’t something they’ll get to participate in.

WHO: New Yorkers Against Gun Violence

WHY WE CARE: The epidemic of gun violence (or gun-related accidents) is something that can be almost numbing to spend too much time thinking about. The list of victims is so long that trying to comprehend it can be overwhelming, and considering the ages of some of those killed is extra depressing. But it is important, no matter what solution your political beliefs lead you to think is the most rational one. Confronting those numbers the way this campaign does is a visceral, powerful way to drive home the fact that A) these are kids, and B) there are so many things they’re not going to get to grow up to do. It’s also a clever way to collect signatures for a petition urging policy changes and more effective responses to gun violence–you can “sign the yearbook,” but the signatures collected will be going to lawmakers to urge universal background checks.