Change The Ref

On February 14, 2018, a gunman opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others. Change the Ref was founded by Manuel & Patricia Oliver, the parents of Joaquin "Guac" Oliver, one of the 17 lost in the tragedy. Change The Ref (CTR), was created to empower our future leaders by providing the tools needed to make changes through education, conversation, and activism. It uses urban art and nonviolent creative confrontation to expose the disastrous effects of the mass shooting pandemic. Founded in the memory of their son Joaquin (Guac), Manuel and Patricia Oliver are committed to making sure that their son’s life and the lives of other victims of gun violence are never forgotten, and that real change happens to prevent tragedies like this from happening ever again.