Public Invited to Explore the Hidden Common Ground on Gun Violence Prevention at Special Event

Three Months After Shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School, the Film Screening and Panel Discussion Are Part of a Growing Builders Movement Equipping Citizens to Solve Problems.

MADISON, Wis., March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On Sunday, March 30 at Madison's Overture Center for the Arts, Wisconsin citizens from all different backgrounds are invited to a film screening and multi-partisan panel discussion that will explore the hidden common ground on the prevention of gun violence in schools and the community.

The event, which comes three months after a deadly shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School, will be led by local citizens – including Dane County's Ali Muldrow, Milwaukee County's Bria Halama, and Door County's Jake VandenPlas – in partnership with Builders, a nonpartisan movement equipping citizens to solve problems. It aims to broaden the often binary conversation on guns and to empower Wisconsinites to find a practical way forward together. 

The afternoon will kick off with a screening of The Tennessee 11, a documentary about a politically diverse group of Tennesseans who took it upon themselves to develop solutions to gun violence after a similar shooting at Nashville's Covenant School. Afterwards, two citizens featured in the film – Alyssa Pearman, a high school teacher who has lost students to gun violence and Adam Luke, a Second Amendment supporter who grew up hunting – will represent the Tennessee 11 on the panel. They will join leaders from the Badger State, including:

• Charles Franklin, a government scholar and director of the Marquette Law School Poll
• Steven Olikara, a nationally-recognized entrepreneur harnessing the power of entertainment to transform America's divisions
• The Honorable Reverend Everett Mitchell, an advocate for education and equity, gun owner, judge presiding over the Juvenile Division in Branch Four of the Dane County Circuit Court, and a senior pastor
• Steve D'Orazio, founder and president of Max Creek Outdoors, a gun shop and range in Oregon, WI, and firearm safety instructor

The panel will explore topics relevant to this moment in Wisconsin and American political life, including where there is public consensus on the issue, how to balance public safety with Second Amendment rights, and how citizens can replace an "us vs. them" mindset with flexible thinking and problem-solving. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.

"We don't want to walk the same path that typically unfolds after a tragedy like the one that took place in our community, where we reflexively blame the 'other side' and entrench further into our positions," said Muldrow, who lives in Madison and serves as the Board of Education treasurer for Madison Metropolitan ISD. "Hopefully attendees will leave with a sense of what's possible and a renewed commitment to working together for the common good."

Muldrow, Halama, and VandenPlas participated in a Builders civic experiment last year. Alongside other Wisconsin citizens, the group found unexpected common ground on a separate polarizing issue – abortion and and family well-being. Their experience productively working across lines of difference prompted them to tackle another major politicized issue on the minds of legislators and the public this legislative session. 

"While our life experiences may differ from Wisconsinites, the issues we face related to guns and gun violence are similar," said Adam Luke, who lives outside of Nashville, TN, and is featured in The Tennessee 11 film. "The labels we give one another – Republican or Democrat and pro-gun versus pro-gun control – don't accurately reflect our shared desire for safety. When we look at this issue with more nuance, we unlock the opportunity to solve problems together."

The event, which is free and open to the public, starts at 1:00 pm CT time in Promenade Hall at the Overture Center for the Arts (201 State Street, Madison). To learn more and RSVP, visit BuildersWI.eventbrite.com.

Media interested in attending should email [email protected].

About the Builders Movement

Builders is a nonpartisan movement equipping people to overcome toxic polarization and solve our toughest problems. Builders accomplishes this mission by providing citizens with tools to think flexibly, engage in constructive civic problem-solving, and hold elected representatives accountable to the will of the people. In addition to our community of more than 3.5 million followers, Builders is supported by 350 ideologically diverse leaders across sectors from business, entertainment, politics, academia, faith, sports, journalism, technology, and national defense. It is a project of Builders Network, Inc.

About Overture Center for the Arts

Celebrating 20 years in Madison, Wis., Overture Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, nine resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in nearly 500,000 educational and artistic experiences each year. Overture's mission is to support and elevate our community's creative culture, economy and quality of life through the arts. overture.org

SOURCE Builders Movement