These Streets are Ours: My experience at the D.C. March for Our Lives

Just six weeks after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, over 200,000 people flooded Washington D.C. to speak out against gun violence on March 24.

Prior to the march, Parkland students founded the Never Again MSD organization that advocates for stricter gun law regulations in response to the shooting that took place at their school. Emma González and David Hogg, survivors of the Parkland shooting, are prominent figures leading the organization.

Following the Parkland shooting, The National Rifle Association (NRA) and President Donald Trump did not take any direct action on the current gun law issues. Clearly, a message needed to be sent and fortunately I was able to participate in the march along with my peers.

Hours before the march at 10 a.m., the streets of D.C. were steady with people and crowds were formed in front of the White House. I didn’t think about the amount of people that were planning on attending but seeing an enormous crowd overwhelmed me.

The crowd moved from the White House down Pennsylvania Ave. This was my first march, so I assumed we’d be screaming at the top of lungs the entire time. In the beginning, the march was rather like a nice brisk walk with friends.

At the beginning of Pennsylvania Ave., it was intriguing to witness the bursting amounts of activity going on. News outlets did live interviews, people sold March for Our Lives t-shirts and people held their signs up high with pride.

Despite just being a girl with a sign of an inappropriate mnemonic for the NRA, I thought how liberating and empowering it was to be a part of something that can change the world.

Down Pennsylvania Ave., there were posters that said, “I survived, my daughter didn’t,” “I’m a teacher, not a sharpshooter,” and “Please keep me safe.”

At 11:30 a.m., there wasn’t much marching, but rather standing in place because the street was full. I began to think, “Well what happens now if we aren’t marching anymore?”

Ironically, I was stuck beside the Trump International Hotel. Where was President Trump hiding that day? Florida is the answer.

The speeches and musical performances began around noon. Andra Day, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson and more all performed hopeful and uplifting songs. It was a satisfying contrast to the various speeches that were serious, enraged or solemn.

The Parkland shooting was familiar to me but as many of the Parkland survivors gave their speeches and described the experience of the shooting, I gained an even deeper respect for them. Listening to the survivors talk created an odd emotional mix of fury and sorrow.

Dr. Martin Luther King’s 9-year-old granddaughter, Yolanda King, also attended and spoke. Her presence brought upon a realization of how a major flaw in U.S gun laws can bring together a wide range of generations.

González spoke last and after listing the names of everyone that was killed during the Parkland shooting, she stood in silence on stage for six minutes and 20 seconds.

The same amount of time it took the Parkland shooter to kill 17 innocent people.

Hundreds of thousands of people became silent along with González. Thoughts ran through my head while I watched her stare blankly at the crowd.

Many of the speakers courageously called out President Trump, incompetent politicians and the NRA on their wrongdoings on national television.

The amount of young people that played a role in this march or spoke on stage outlines how inspiring this generation is. The initiative the students took to organize this event to make their voice heard shows the world that millennials aren’t just voiceless uninvolved kids.

Millennials are more fearless than ever since the Never Again movement started.