Get to know Jay Franzone

Bloomberg Fellow Jay Franzone serves as the National Partnerships Manager at Everytown for Gun Safety, where he focuses on fostering relationships with national nonprofit organizations.  

Franzone’s journey into public health advocacy began in high school after being told he could not donate blood due to his sexual orientation. This experience motivated him to advocate for more equitable policies, ultimately contributing to efforts to overturn the federal ban on blood donations from gay men. After spending some time as a middle school teacher, Franzone turned his attention to advocacy work - specifically gun violence prevention. Now he works to address community trauma, systemic inequities, and resilience issues.  

At Everytown for Gun Safety, Franzone has supported the Latinx Engagement Team in listening to communities from Bakersfield to Miami, to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Throughout his work, he has learned that messages focusing on family and community safety from secure firearm storage to the importance of safeguarding those we love, resonate deeply within Latinx communities.

In 2023, Franzone applied to the fellowship program through the Bloomberg American Health Initiative to bridge the gap between his advocacy experience and the technical knowledge needed to create lasting, systemic change. The program's focus on public health solutions, and a focus on violence, combined with the ability to continue working with his organization, offered a unique opportunity to enhance his impact.  

Franzone has built a network of collaborators across the country through the Bloomberg Fellowship. “Whether in class, on the ground, or just chatting online, being a Bloomberg Fellow is invaluable in fostering connections,” he says.  

Looking ahead, Franzone hopes to leverage the new skills in finance and management he learned through his Fellowship to help support the growth of Everytown and work to provide equitable access to care for communities across the United States.