Schools and community organizations come together for screenings of student-produced documentary Run, Hide, Fight: Growing up under the gun

Date: June 8, 2026

By: Anthony Payne

During the 2025-26 school year, PBS News Student Reporting Labs provided funding and resources for schools and community organizations across the U.S. to host local screenings of Run, Hide, Fight: Growing up under the gun. Produced in collaboration with students in five cities in 2024, the documentary follows a generation growing up in the shadow of gun violence, and the steps they’re taking to address this crisis.

These screenings and discussions provided a stage for open dialogue, where students and adults could come together: to lend each other support, to promote community action towards abating gun violence, and share their own stories. Some were attended by community leaders and public servants with the power to enact legislative change, including one county prosecutor in Bridgeton, New Jersey, a representative from the State Attorney’s office in Rockville, Maryland, and anti-violence advocates from the Mayor’s office in New York City..

Events varied in format and size; some were led by public media stations, others by community leaders, artists, activists, students and educators who shared their own experiences. Joe Papadopoulos, a teacher at Howard W. Blake High School in Tampa, Florida reflects: “My story, which I did not think would land with any real impact, seemed to have an effect on a few of my own students. ”These screenings were a moment to share those stories and realize they are not faced alone.

While some screenings drew large audiences of over 100, others made use of smaller turnouts to host more intimate discussions. At a screening at Coral Gables Art Cinema in Florida, Tony Montalto, President of Stand With Parkland, shared the story of losing his daughter in the 2018 Parkland school shooting and spoke about how that unimaginable loss drives his work advocating for school safety and change. “The event felt impactful and meaningful,” shared event organizer Miguel Amaya. “Tony was incredibly generous with his time and honest in sharing his experience, which resonated with everyone in the room. The film and conversation created a powerful learning opportunity for our students and community.”

A few organizers opted for interactive artistic experiences. After their screening in Lansing, Michigan, Everett High School’s 4EVERett Video Production & Digital Storytelling program invited students to process their emotions physically through a drum circle art therapy session. “We’re working together and making progress,” one attendee reflects, “it truly takes a village, and I’m proud of the synergy and collaboration… and the impact we’re making.”

Opportunities for mutual learning and community building are indispensable. At the Sanctuary for Independent Media’s screening in Troy, NY, poet, storyteller, and multi-disciplinary artist D. Colin led participants through a storytelling workshop. Colin turned the room into a “sacred space” by having participants write things that made them feel safe and inviting them to return there whenever they needed. One workshop participant shared: “I really appreciated the Sanctuary hosting a workshop about such an important topic. To go from the film to creative writing where we could all learn about each other was beautiful. I have been inspired to write more… to tell my story more.”

Participants were able to access counselors and resources for support, encouraging them to find community support rather than retreating inwards. In communities where gun violence is so prevalent it feels routine, pain can come to resemble normalcy. These events serve as reminders that it doesn’t have to be this way. They’re reminders that gun violence doesn’t have to be a fact of this country, and that together we can continue to rally against this uniquely American epidemic.

Thank you to all of the event organizers who worked to create opportunities for conversation, collective action and support in their communities, and the attendees who participated.