While many students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High march with Emma Gonzalez in Washington D.C., South Florida residents and other survivors gathered in Parkland, Miami Lakes, Miami Beach, and Pembroke Pines to march. Over 30,000 individuals showed up with posters and ready to march in every location.
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The largest march in Miami was in Parkland, Florida. Participants were ready to make their voices heard as they walked the 2 miles from Pines Trail Park to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Miami residents also rallied in Miami Beach and Pembroke Pines. In Pembroke Pines, from Charles F. Dodge City Center to Pines Boulevard and back, children to elderly people marched.
On February 14, Nikolas Cruz, a former student at Stoneman Douglas, wreaked havoc with an automatic rifle and taking with him 17 innocent lives. Students from Stoneman refused to stay silent on the matter, raising above and starting a movement to protest against gun violence. Students have simply have had enough gun violence and school shootings, and they adamantly protest that never again should it happen.
The March For Our Lives took place on Saturday, March 24. All around the world, multiple marches were held in different locations, the main one being in Washington D.C..
“This is why I march.” Parkland’s voice is strong. #neveragain ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8N1GCwSBAW
— Herman (@hermalez) March 24, 2018
For hours as they walked, people were holding up their posters with pride and shouting with determination; even with the sun beating down their faces and their voices going raw, they never gave up. The shouts were inspirational, motivational, and demanding.
“Show me what democracy looks like!”
Everyone of different ages and ethnicities all gathered together demanding gun reform.
“This is what democracy looks like!”
“What do we want?”
It was reminded to everyone that every march that took place on Saturday was not a war between the Republicans or Democrats, or any two groups.
“Gun control!”
“When do we want it?”
Rather, everyone was marching for their lives, lives which are not be taken anymore by the hands of automatic weapons and illegal guns.
“Now!”
Until they reached near the end of their march, participants made sure to express how they felt about the NRA and officials accepting money from them.
“NRA stay away, we just want to graduate!”
“No more silence, end this violence!”
When they finally reached MSD in the march in Parkland, a moment of silence was shared. People began to bring their posters up the hill and tying them near the fence of the school, where stuffed bears, heart cushions, signs, and spinning flower pinwheels laid scattered throughout. While some decided to march back towards the park, many decided to continue on forward past the closed road, onto the streets.
Kathleen Obrer, a junior at MLEC, attended the march in Pembroke Pines. She gathered with other civilians for an intense protest consisting of different students and Senator Bob Graham giving speeches. Kathleen herself wrote two poems she read out loud to the audience—Teens and Our Generation.
“You hear all about these powerful marches and movements but it doesn’t affect you as much because you aren’t in it. This one was surreal. Not only did we march for what we stand for and what we have to deal with in the 21st century, we marched for change, for gun reform, and to save lives. It was invigorating,” said Kathleen.
Even if the 3-5 hour march was exhausting and easily drained energy from everyone, the moment that was shared was unforgettable. Children, students, adults, and senior citizens all made their marks and voices heard all over the globe. March For Our Lives, Enough is Enough, Never Again, MSD Strong, and an end to gun violence in general will only grow and increase in power, for this generation is the generation to make a change.
