It’s unbelievable to me that the first March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C. was over six years ago.
My classmates and I founded March For Our Lives in 2018 after one of the worst days of our lives. We survived a shooting at our high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, FL. Seventeen of my classmates and teachers didn’t.
We turned our pain and anger into power and made it our mission to do everything we could to prevent this from happening to another community.
In the years since 2018, I’ve been amazed at the activist community and movement we’ve built. This is exactly what’s given me the hope to continue this fight.
Countless people told me “no,” “keep dreaming,” and slammed doors in my face. I’ve been told that my classmates and I shouldn’t bother. But I’m still here. My classmates are still here. Our community is still here. Are you still with us?
We’ve achieved a lot in the past six years together. From passing the first piece of federal gun safety in 30 years, to filing 30+ amicus briefs defending our right not to be shot, to turning out record numbers of young voters for three election cycles in a row — we’ve made progress that leaders told us meddling kids was impossible in 2018.
This is what gives me hope during the tough times and, honestly, it’s what keeps me from giving up. I know we can achieve SO MUCH more and that keeps me motivated to keep on fighting.
Thank you for sticking with us,
David 💙