Change the Ref Channels 'Fearless Girl,' With a Sad Twist, for Masterclass vs. Gun Violence

SXSW collaboration with cosmetics firm Lush

Each year, SXSW delivers a mix of boundary-pushing creativity, brand spectacle and cultural conversation. But in a sea of flashy activations, few have the power to truly stop people in their tracks. “Bloom a New Day,” the collaboration between Lush Cosmetics and Change the Ref, did exactly that. It wasn’t just an installation—it was a gut-wrenching reckoning with America’s gun violence crisis, told through immersive storytelling, stark symbolism and an urgent call to action.

The experience began by walking visitors through a simulated classroom setup. Attendees first encountered rows of lockers, desks and school materials that painted a hauntingly familiar scene. Except, in this space, everything carried the weight of tragedy.

Open lockers contained books about activism, bullet-riddled backpacks and unfinished assignments, painful reminders of the students who never got to complete them. A blackboard framed the issue through a chilling lesson: a “Lawsuit for Survival,” that questioned whether the U.S. government was failing in its fundamental duty to protect its people.

Then, tucked in the corner, there was the statue: a lone child, cowering beneath a desk. The detail was haunting—the way the youngster gripped the legs of the desk, face frozen in quiet terror. That work, “The Last Lockdown,” was created 7 years ago by Change the Ref cofounder Manuel Oliver, who lost his son Joaquin in the 2018 Parkland school shooting.

The image was instantly evocative, a devastating commentary on the state of our schools, where students are forced to rehearse survival in the very places designed to nurture them.

I couldn’t help but think of another statue, one not far from the Clios office in NYC: “Fearless Girl,” the bronze icon standing defiantly before Wall Street’s charging bull. Created by McCann New York in 2017 for State Street Global Advisors, “Fearless Girl” represents confidence, resistance and the fight for equality. She is a symbol of hope, standing her ground in the face of power.

But the “Bloom a New Day” child was different. This child wasn’t standing tall or resisting, but hiding. Not by choice, but from necessity.

If “Fearless Girl” embodies the future we want for our children—a future where they are emboldened, unafraid, and ready to take on the world—then the subject in “Bloom a New Day” reflects the horrifying reality we’ve accepted instead. A reality where students are taught to shrink themselves into the smallest possible target. Where parents send kids to school each morning with a silent prayer that their children won’t become tragic statistics.

How did we go from demanding courage for our children to instructing them to hide? And more importantly, why have we let this become normal?

After walking through this devastating classroom scene, visitors boarded a bus. Inside, screens displayed videos documenting the ongoing fight for firearms reform, including “The Lawsuit for Survival,” an unprecedented legal battle led by Patricia and Manuel Oliver, who were in attendance. They have dedicated their lives to exposing the government’s failure to protect its citizens—particularly children—from gun violence. The lawsuit argues that by prioritizing gun rights over human life, our government is in direct violation of constitutional protections.

The weight of the issue was inescapable. This was not a passive experience; it was an urgent demand for awareness, for action, for accountability. The surrounding area was filled with sunflowers, their bright petals a striking contrast to the dark reality they represented: each one stood for an American school shooting or a life lost to guns.

The entire activation was a masterclass in using creative storytelling for advocacy. It wasn’t designed to sell a product—it was designed to shake up a mindset. Lush provided the platform, while Change the Ref delivered the soul-crushing reality. Together, they crafted an experience that didn’t just inform—it shook you.

Visitors responded viscerally. Some wept. Some stood frozen, reading and rereading the statistics. Conversations sparked between strangers. They shared fears, frustrations, and, in some cases, stories of devastating personal loss.

As I left, stepping back into the sensory overload of SXSW, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a demand. A reminder that the fight for reform continues—and that inaction has a body count.

If Fearless Girl stands as a beacon of hope, “Bloom a New Day” serves as a warning. The choice between the two futures is ours to make.

Consider signing the “Lawsuit For Survival” petition.