I attended the Washington DC March for Our Lives today and I can say unequivocally, our youth are a force to be reckoned with. They shared personal gun violence stories that were raw, direct, powerful, and emotional. I especially appreciated the young people of color speaking out about their communities that are disproportionately affected by gun violence. Here is a list that captures some of the powerful messages depicted on protest signs today.
You have the right to remain silent.
But please don’t.
Make America safe again.
We will not stay silent
so you can stay comfortable.
91 deaths a day.
Protect kids not guns.
Am I next?
Arms are for holding children
My right to live is > a gun.
Prayers and condolences
are not enough.
The NRA has blood on its hand.
The scariest thing in a school
should be my grades.
I want to live in a world where guns are harder to get
than Hamilton tickets.
And the NRA would have gotten away with it
if it wasn’t for these meddling kids.
We call #BS.
Fear has no place in our school.
I can’t even bring peanut butter to school!
We don’t need to live like this.
Enough is Enough:
Newtown
Las Vegas
Orlando
Blacksburg
Sutherland Springs
Killeen
San Ysidro
Austin
Parkland
San Bernardino
Columbine
Aurora…
Never again!
Two of the most powerful speeches I witnessed today, Zion Kelly and Edna Chavez.
The Way I See It 
Powerful words. One I saw on Twitter that really got to me was a note handed out by a 6 year old. Attached to a Dum-Dums sucker, the note said this is the prize I get for staying silent during active shooter drills. Another 6 year old held a poster saying I am 6, so were they- and it had the names of Sandy Hook children. Both too sad.
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Thank you for this slice. I marched in my town, then watched coverage of the Washington, D.C. rally. I can’t wait to see what happens in November. Our young people are SO inspiring.
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Thank you for marching, listing the messages of our youth, and linking the speeches into your slice.
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Awesome summary, powerful slice, and strong sentiments.
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I feel so blessed that I teach middle school every day, and today at the marches (I was in Chicago) is yet another example of the beauty they exude. Thanks for sharing the text of all those signs!
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I was at a different march. It’s exciting to read about the amazingness of students all around the country. Thank you for sharing! It was powerful to see the photo and read the words of the signs that you shared.
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You are so right! They give me hope! And I love how you used all of the signs to create a poem. One of my favorites: “And the NRA would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for these meddling kids.”
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Thank you for marching, and thank you for writing this piece! So powerful!
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