TALLADEGA, Ala. – Talladega College student-athletes are using their platform to promote gun violence prevention, taking the court in shirts emblazoned with the words “I WANT TO LIVE.”
The college’s junior varsity men’s basketball team wore the shirts on Monday, Oct. 26, during its season opener against Snead State Community College. The appearance marked a significant step in a growing partnership between Talladega College Athletics and the Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention through its Ballers Against Bullets initiative.
Talladega’s athletic teams plan to wear the apparel at games throughout the academic year, turning sporting events into opportunities to raise awareness about gun safety and encourage young people to make decisions that protect their futures.
The effort follows recent fatal shootings in the area, according to the agency’s announcement. The partnership is intended to give student-athletes a visible role in addressing violence affecting their local communities.
Firearms were the leading cause of death among U.S. children ages one to 17 in 2024, according to research from Johns Hopkins University cited by the agency. The figure highlights the importance of prevention efforts aimed at young people.
Ballers Against Bullets brings together athletes, barbers, entertainers, schools, and community leaders to discourage gun misuse and promote responsible decision-making. The “I WANT TO LIVE” campaign seeks to make preserving life more visible in sports, fashion, music, and youth culture.
Talladega College Athletics has promoted the team’s participation on social media, saying student-athletes’ lives and futures matter and encouraging safer communities.
The partnership also reflects the role of historically Black colleges and universities in developing leaders and supporting communities. Organizers say collegiate athletics can help carry prevention messages beyond campus and into the neighborhoods represented by student-athletes.
The Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention, an Alabama-based nonprofit, says it plans to expand Ballers Against Bullets to other colleges and universities.
The campaign’s goal, organizers say, extends beyond wearing a shirt at a game. It is intended to reinforce that young people’s lives matter and that their futures are worth protecting.
