Born From Rage
Three weeks after our son Joaquin was murdered at Parkland, politicians offered thoughts and prayers. We offered disruption. Change The Ref exposes NRA-bought lawmakers, amplifies youth voices demanding reform, and uses art as a weapon against America's gun violence epidemic. We don't ask permission. We Change The Refs.
What is Change The Ref?
Change The Ref transforms grief into disruption. Founded by Manuel and Patricia Oliver weeks after their son Joaquin was murdered in the Parkland shooting, CTR empowers today’s young activists with the tools they need to make changes to critical issues through education, conversation, and activism—but not the polite kind. We use urban art, guerrilla campaigns, and nonviolent creative confrontation to expose the gun violence epidemic and the NRA’s corrupt stranglehold on lawmakers who value lobby cash over children’s lives.
On February 14, 2018, 17 lives were stolen at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. That mass shooting sparked a global conversation and ignited a youth movement. Change The Ref fuels that movement—giving survivors and the next generation a disruptive voice to lead the way toward a future where no parent buries their child. #NeverAgain isn’t a hashtag. It’s our promise.
Since our founding, CTR has won 12 Clios (including Advertiser of the Year), multiple Cannes Lions, and international recognition for campaigns that break through where traditional advocacy fails. We’ve tricked NRA presidents into speeches for empty chairs. We’ve used AI to let Joaquin and other victims demand justice from beyond the grave. We’ve painted murals that can’t be ignored and created “children’s books” that force politicians to confront their complicity. Our goal remains unchanged: empower the generation that will vote out corrupt lawmakers, change the refs, and finally end America’s gun violence crisis.
Our Story
Joaquin Oliver loved basketball, art, and his girlfriend Victoria. His friends called him “Guac.” He was 17, weeks away from his first presidential election, dreaming of his future. On February 14, 2018, a shooter with an AR-15 stole all of it. His parents, Manuel and Patricia, who had immigrated from Venezuela and raised their family in Parkland, suddenly joined the heartbreaking club no parent wants membership in—families of gun violence victims. But grief alone wasn’t enough. Joaquin deserved more than thoughts and prayers.
Manuel, whose artistic vision had shaped music industry campaigns, and Patricia, whose organizing skills had powered political movements, channeled their rage into revolution. They founded Change The Ref at a basketball court ceremony where Manuel wore Joaquin’s shoes—a symbolic passing of the torch. Since then, they’ve traveled across America and internationally, creating guerrilla murals, delivering powerful testimonies, and building campaigns that have won the industry’s highest awards. Manuel’s one-man show “GUAC: My Son, My Hero” has moved audiences nationwide. Patricia’s advocacy has influenced policy debates from state capitals to Congress. Together, they’ve ensured that Joaquin’s voice—and those of the other 16—continue demanding the change America desperately needs.
Why We Fight
Joaquin was 17 when he was murdered. He never got to vote, never graduated, never lived the future he deserved. Neither did the other 16 Parkland victims. Neither have the thousands of young people killed by gun violence since. Change The Ref exists because we refuse to accept this as normal. We fight because every politician who blocks gun reform while cashing NRA checks is complicit in the next shooting. We disrupt because polite advocacy has failed for decades.
Our goal is transformation, not incremental change. We’re empowering youth activists to become the leaders who will vote out corrupt lawmakers and change the system. We’re using art and technology to make gun violence impossible to ignore. We’re forcing politicians, corporations, and everyday Americans to choose: continue accepting massacres as the price of “freedom,” or finally admit that weapons of war don’t belong in civilian hands. Through creative campaigns that have reached billions and youth programs that are building the next generation of reformers, we’re creating the movement Joaquin and the 17 would be proud of.
Questions & Answers
We believe in transparency. Here’s what you need to know about Change The Ref, our work, and how we’re different from traditional gun violence prevention organizations.
What makes Change The Ref different from other gun violence prevention organizations?
We don’t do traditional advocacy. While other organizations focus on legislation and lobbying, CTR uses creative disruption—art installations, AI campaigns, guerrilla tactics—to force America to confront gun violence in ways that can’t be ignored. We’ve won international advertising awards because our campaigns break through where policy papers don’t. We also center youth voices as leaders NOW, not future changemakers.
Is Change The Ref affiliated with any political party?
Change The Ref is nonpartisan but not neutral. We expose and oppose any politician—regardless of party—who takes NRA money and blocks gun reform. Our enemy isn’t a political party; it’s the gun lobby’s corruption of our democracy. We support candidates who prioritize children’s lives over campaign donations.
How does Change The Ref use donations?
Your donations fund our disruptive campaigns (AI technology, art installations, guerrilla marketing), youth empowerment programs (training, platforms, organizing tools), Manuel’s touring show “GUAC: My Son, My Hero,” and our advocacy work exposing corrupt politicians. We operate as a program under the March For Our Lives Foundation, ensuring transparency and accountability.
What is the origin of the name "Change The Ref"?
Manuel coached basketball and often dealt with bad officiating. When Joaquin noticed his frustration, he suggested calling the league to “change the ref.” The metaphor stuck: when referees are corrupt or bought, you need new refs. American politics has corrupt refs—politicians bought by the gun lobby. We’re changing them.
How can youth get involved with Change The Ref?
Register to vote (if eligible), follow us on social media to amplify our campaigns, attend our events and Manuel’s performances, volunteer with local gun violence prevention efforts, and speak up when politicians prioritize NRA money over your safety. We provide platforms for youth voices—use them.
Does Change The Ref work with other organizations?
Yes. We’re housed under March For Our Lives Foundation and partner with organizations like Everytown, Brady Campaign, and local gun violence prevention groups. We also collaborate with advertising agencies, artists, and activists worldwide. The gun lobby is powerful—we’re building a coalition that’s more powerful.
What has Change The Ref accomplished since 2018?
We’ve won 12+ Clios (including Advertiser of the Year), multiple Cannes Lions, created campaigns reaching billions of people globally, exposed hundreds of NRA-funded politicians, empowered thousands of youth activists, and painted 50+ murals across America. Most importantly, we’ve kept the 17 Parkland victims—and all gun violence victims—in the national conversation when America tries to move on.
How does CTR address different types of gun violence (mass shootings, daily gun deaths, suicide)?
While the Parkland shooting inspired our founding, CTR addresses America’s entire gun violence crisis—the 44,000 annual deaths including mass shootings, daily homicides (disproportionately affecting Black and brown communities), suicides, and accidental deaths. All stem from the same root: easy access to weapons of war and politicians who refuse to act.
Support Our Mission
Every dollar you donate empowers youth activists, funds award-winning campaigns that break through where traditional advocacy fails, and holds corrupt politicians accountable. Change The Ref operates differently—and your support makes that difference possible. From AI campaigns to guerrilla murals to youth leadership programs, you’re investing in the generation that will finally end gun violence in America.