Cornell Scholar Speaks Out Against Gun Violence at Democratic National Convention

This past August, before a crowd of thousands of delegates, Cornell University Scholar Edgar Vilchez took the stage on the last day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to advocate for gun reform. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came through a summer internship with the DNC committee in Chicago, which hosted last year’s convention.

The movement to reduce gun violence across the country hits especially close to home for Edgar, who witnessed a deadly shooting outside his high school during his senior year.

“I was always told that school was for learning,” he said onstage at the convention. “That day, I learned that what happens in the news can happen to me. I also learned something else: that we can write a new story about gun violence if we choose to.”

Watch Edgar Vilchez speak onstage at the 2024 DNC.

Together, we can use our voices to advocate for meaningful, lasting change around the culture of guns in our communities.

For Edgar, irradicating gun violence is crucial to keeping communities across the country safe. Since his senior year of high school, he has served as a youth council member at Project Unloaded, an organization that aims to inspire youth to make data-backed decisions regarding gun usage and ownership. As a member, Edgar works with the council to advise on Project Unloaded’s campaigns, shape the organization’s social media presence, and provide young people with data that demonstrates how guns make people less safe.

“I don’t want any young person to have to experience what I did,” says Edgar. “The only way to fix the problem is to address the causes of gun violence in our communities and to provide young people with the proper tools and resources to turn toward—instead of [turning toward] guns.”

Edgar’s work over the past two years has not gone unnoticed. Media outlets, including Variety, WBEZ Chicago, WTTW News and Univision have published stories amplifying the tremendous work of the youth council members. Edgar uses every opportunity to share the message that gun violence is a major issue and that people should choose to live “unloaded.”

“I get to amplify the stories of so many leaders who are working toward a gun-free world,” says Edgar. “Together, we can use our voices to advocate for meaningful, lasting change around the culture of guns in our communities.”

Edgar plans to pursue public policy and business at Cornell University. On campus, he is involved in the Cornell Latinx Association of Pre-law and a part of the pre-law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta.