30 Under 30: The Magazine the U.S. Didn’t Want Published Lands in Congress to Push Gun Reform

This weekend, at one of the most exclusive and tightly secured events in the United States—the White House Correspondents’ Dinner—journalists and politicians were forced to do the unthinkable: run for their lives.

For a brief moment, they experienced what millions of Americans—especially children—face every day. It was in that moment that Change The Ref, in collaboration with Founders Agency, brought “30 Under 30: The List That Shouldn’t Exist” to Washington, D.C.—placing the stories of 30 young people whose lives were taken by gun violence directly into the hands of those with the power to act.

Each year, Forbes 30 Under 30 celebrates young people shaping the future. This project asks a devastating question: What about those who never had the chance?

Instead of creating a traditional campaign, the team recreated the entire recognition system—a 101-page magazine that mirrors the design, tone, and credibility of the lists we admire. But the protagonists are different. They are 30 young people killed by gun violence before turning 30.

Each profile was created alongside their families—documenting not how they died, but who they were, what they loved, and the futures that were taken from them.

“This wasn’t about raising awareness. People are already aware. The problem is they’ve also learned to ignore it,” said Checha Agost Carreño, Co-Founder and CCO of Founders Agency. “We used the same systems that celebrate success to expose failure. But we also understood something critical: in a world where everything can be ignored, skipped, or silenced, the physical cannot be avoided. This magazine forces you to stop, to hold it, to confront each story. Because if creativity can’t be used to confront something this urgent, then it’s not doing its job.”

The project was designed to go beyond awareness—and enter the spaces where recognition and decision-making happen.

It intervened at the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit, where honoree Khalil Greene used his platform to speak about gun violence before being removed from the stage by organizers.

It entered popular culture, with the story of one of the victims reaching the Oscars through an Academy Award–winning documentary.

And in Washington, it became something entirely different: a physical object placed directly into the hands of lawmakers.

The victims’ families were at the Capitol—not only to remember, but to confront. They met with members of Congress, carrying a magazine that lawmakers cannot silence, ignore, or overlook.

“Washington has heard the statistics. But statistics don’t sit in front of you. Our children do,” said Patricia Oliver, Co-Founder of Change The Ref and mother of Joaquín “Guac” Oliver. “We brought this magazine here because it forces a different kind of conversation—one that is human, undeniable, and impossible to ignore. We are no longer asking to be heard. We are demanding stronger gun laws.”

The most devastating truth behind “30 Under 30” is that it isn’t finished. 600 families have already signed up to be part of future editions.

In 2026, an average of 12 to 13 children and teenagers die from gun violence every day in the United States.

Gun violence remains the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the country.

The campaign has already generated significant reach and engagement:
3.4M impressions
1.6M reach
222K interactions
1.9M views
685K in earned media

But its true impact is measured elsewhere: in the number of families still waiting to tell their stories. Until laws change, the publication will continue. Because the list keeps growing.

The work is being presented at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in multiple categories, recognizing its role as a cultural intervention that connects creativity, activism, and systemic change.

But recognition is not the goal. Change is.

The special issue “30 Under 30: The List That Shouldn’t Exist” is available in full at 30under30.us. Change The Ref and Founders Agency plan to publish a new edition every year until there are no more victims of gun violence. The organization hopes that one day, there will be no more editions to publish.