Red, Blue, and Brady (RBB) is a unique podcast that aims to bring survivors, researchers, activists, legislators, and average Americans into conversations surrounding gun violence prevention. With over 100 Americans killed due to gun violence every day and scores more injured, the podcast provides weekly discussions on the various types of gun violence, including suicide, unintentional shootings, homicides, mass shootings, and more.
The podcast also deliberately focuses on disadvantaged communities that are disproportionately impacted by gun violence but receive less media attention and political care. In addition, RBB episodes always include a call to action providing listeners with ways they can get involved in finding solutions to gun violence, such as contacting legislators.
In its first season, RBB focused on racial justice, voting access, COVID-19, and the intersectionality of gun violence prevention. In the second season, the podcast expanded its mission to include gun owner voices on issues such as crime guns, safe storage, appropriate training for firearm use, and cultural concerns surrounding modern gun ownership. These episodes ranged from coverage of the gun violence impacting indigenous communities to suicide rates among veterans to safe hunting practices for adults and children. In its third season, RBB widened its conversations about gun violence to be more intersectional and based in harm reduction. The podcast sought to answer questions such as "Is poverty alleviation a way to fight gun violence? How does climate change cause gun violence? How do we fight back against hate crimes?"
As the podcast enters its fourth season, it has sought to continue educating the public on the realities of gun violence in the United States, including emerging threats and instances of gun violence, ranging from the rise of guns stolen from vehicles to gender-based violence. Moreover, the podcast has been directly addressing the spread of misinformation — and disinformation — and how the American public is misled about gun violence. Today, RBB remains the only podcast of its kind in both content and mission, bringing together survivors, activists, academics, and individuals with various identities to discuss the violent epidemic claiming the lives of over 100 Americans a day.
RBB has established a strategy of providing a platform for survivors, activists, and academics to share their voices on gun violence prevention. To ensure the comfort and well-being of survivors, RBB goes beyond traditional podcast procedures by allowing such guests creative control over their episode and involving them in the entire production process. By highlighting differing opinions within the gun violence prevention world, RBB has expanded the dialogue beyond its own hosts and the Brady organization to include guests with a range of viewpoints, including those who advocate for permitless carry.
RBB's approach is to present varied, nuanced, and detailed conversations on gun violence prevention, tackling heavy topics such as firearm suicide, child loss, recovery after traumatic injury, police violence, dealing with conspiracy theorists, and racial justice. The podcast strives to handle these topics with compassion in a conversational format that prioritizes transparency and accessibility. By breaking the taboo around gun violence as a "third-rail issue," RBB provides a unique and important perspective to its listeners.
With over 100,000 downloads and consistently ranking high on the iTunes education charts, RBB has established itself as a trusted source of narratives and research within the gun violence prevention community. However, RBB's success in the gun violence prevention community is not just measured in terms of download numbers and chart placements, but in the impact it has had on its audience. With a reputation for providing insightful narratives and research, RBB has become a trusted source for activists and researchers seeking to promote their work. Survivors of gun violence have also expressed their gratitude for RBB's role in providing a platform to share their stories, grow their community, and support their healing processes. RBB's commitment to amplifying diverse voices and perspectives has been a key factor in its success and the impact it has had on the gun violence prevention movement.
