Nearly two months after Disney star Cameron Boyce’s death, the actor’s legacy lives on with a little help from his Descendants co-stars. Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, China Anne McClain and others have joined Boyce’s campaign to end gun violence, Wielding Peace.
The Cameron Boyce Foundation has launched the social media campaign that Boyce had been working on prior to his death. Created in partnership with Refinery 29, Wielding Peace officially launched on July 15 — roughly a week after Boyce’s death — and features various celebrities as well as victims of gun violence in posts where the hold objects other than guns — such as cameras and guitars — as chosen objects of peace rather than violence. Boyce’s rep Kasey Kitchen shared the actor’s intention for the campaign following his death.
“I’ve named the concept Wielding Peace. It will be a collection of images that feature people from all walks of life (celebrities, victims of gun violence, common supporters) wielding ‘guns.’ The catch is, the ‘guns’ that we’re using as props will be items that signify unity and peace,” Boyce wrote about the campaign.
“Household items such as musical instruments, cameras, food, sporting equipment, beauty products, articles of clothing… anything that might inspire someone creatively as well as make a strong statement with the sentiment that we need to choose a different weapon,” he added.
“When is it enough? How many lives will it take? Will it take your own or that of one close to you? Together we are stronger and together we will stand to fight for change,” Kitchen told PEOPLE in a statement. “We’ve created a slogan for which those of us at The Cameron Boyce Foundation abide by: ‘Live like Cameron, Love like Cameron, affect like Cameron.’ He was here for a reason and it is our mission to ensure that his legacy is upheld. When people stop killing each other we will stand down. Until then we are armed with our weapons of peace and ready for battle. The world is speaking to you with their participation in our campaign, so when is it that you will listen?”
Boyce died in his sleep back in July with the cause of death confirmed as being due to “sudden unexpected death in epilepsy,” a condition that his family noted when initially announcing his death.
“It is with a profoundly heavy heart that we report that this morning we lost Cameron,” a statement from Boyce’s family reads in part. “He passed away in his sleep due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition for which he was being treated. The world is now undoubtedly without one of its brightest lights, but his spirit will live on through the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him.”
Boyce was one of the stars of the Descendants franchise, portraying Carlos, the son of Cruella de Vil. The franchise canceled their red carpet premiere of Descendants 3 shortly after his passing, instead making a donation in Boyce’s memory to the non-profit Third Project. The telecast of the third film was dedicated to Boyce.