March For Our Lives from DC

One of our very own members participated in the March For Our lives Event in DC this past weekend. Below are her thoughts about the event that she was kind enough to share in a blog post.

I had the great opportunity to join 800,000 other enthusiastic Marchers in DC.  Their posters and signs showed a variety of perspectives about pro gun safety. From concerned grandmas to very young gun safety advocates; men and women, LGBTQ and straight, all colors of the rainbow – there was diversity and within that diversity there was a common energy, for a common cause!

The students of Parkland created helped to create an important movement.  There were 17 passionate speakers (to honor the 17 victims from the Parkland shooting) from across the US, sharing how they are impacted by gun violence. They lost brothers and sisters to senseless gun violence.  Two of the speakers were 11 years old and even Martin Luther Kings granddaughter spoke! All of these courageous speakers spoke from the heart. You could feel their emotions. 

It is apparent that this event is just the beginning of change that is to come.  After each speaker, the crowd chanted, “vote them out, vote them out!”  As the voter registration forms were filled out, one could sense that the youth of our nation will lead us to that change.

While there were celebrity performers, they were not the main or most important voices. They performed and then left the stage but the voices of protest never ceased.  The transitions were filled with amazing video clips of students speaking out. One particular one had a Parkland student mirroring the NRA spokesperson – two completely different perspectives! Both ended with “your time is running out”. 

March For Our Lives highlights the importance of gun safety but it also points to the fact that voting matters. We need to help register voters and then, make sure they actually get out to vote. We can be part of the change!  Let’s MARCH FOR CHANGE!

- Dawn