From surviving gun violence to fighting for justice, Pedro’s story continues — let’s help him thrive at UCLA.

On October 4, 2019, our beloved friend, brother, son, and cousin Pedro Ventura was standing outside a gay nightclub in Asheville, NC when a stranger opened fire into the crowd.

Pedro — a queer immigrant from the Dominican Republic and a rising music executive at CAA — had flown in from Los Angeles for one night to attend a wedding. In a matter of seconds, his life, and the lives of those who love him, changed forever.

Though there were hundreds of people out, Pedro was the only one hit. A single bullet tore through the back of his neck, severing his spinal cord at the C4 vertebrae and leaving him completely paralyzed from the shoulders down.

In the aftermath, Pedro faced the unimaginable. As he grieved the future he had envisioned, he was forced to confront an unforgiving system — one that made accessing adequate care, stable housing, and mental health support an everyday battle.

In those early months, his community showed up with breathtaking generosity. Together, you raised the funds that kept him alive: covering hospital stays, life-saving equipment, rehab, and full-time caregiving. You helped him build an accessible life in Los Angeles — something that should be a right, not a privilege, for people with disabilities.

Over time, Pedro transformed pain into purpose. As a Survivor Fellow with Everytown for Gun Safety, he’s become a fierce advocate for gun violence prevention, disability justice, and mental health equity. These experiences inspired a new calling — this spring, in recognition of his leadership and vision, Pedro was admitted to UCLA Luskin’s Master of Social Welfare program.

Post graduation, Pedro is planning a career at the intersection of advocacy, policy research, and direct community engagement, providing clinical support to individuals most impacted by gun violence. The current administration has discontinued the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, increasing the need to fight the firearm violence epidemic at the local and state level.

Before the shooting, Pedro measured his personal success by his ability to carve out a seat at the table. Today, his vision is bigger: to dismantle the table entirely and reimagine the room—so that every voice, especially the most marginalized, has a place, a platform, and power.

As Pedro prepares to embark on this next chapter, a major change in his long-term relationship has left him navigating life in Los Angeles on his own for the first time since the injury. The emotional and logistical impact has been profound.

Pedro will now have to face the cost of remaining in his accessible home, around the clock care, and out-of-pocket medical expenses — all while relying on disability benefits that cover only a fraction of what he needs to live safely and with dignity.

With the funds from his original fundraiser nearly gone and no stable income until he graduates in 2027, Pedro needs our help once again.

Your love and solidarity turned tragedy into survival back in 2019. Today, you can help Pedro continue that journey — from surviving to thriving — as he builds a life rooted in purpose, education, and justice.

Let’s write this next chapter together — one defined by hope, dignity, and freedom.