Wednesday, Feb. 21 marked a monumental day not only in history but in my life and in the lives of several of my peers. In the wake of the Douglas school shooting that has wreaked havoc across the nation, I missed two classes and joined over 1,000 fellow Florida State University students in a march from Westcott Fountain to the State Capitol exactly a week following the event. As we traveled down College Avenue in a tight cluster, we continued to collect more and more individuals of all ages and backgrounds until we eventually united with hundreds of Tallahassee natives and alumni at the lawn in front of the Capitol. To say that this was an unordinary Wednesday would be an understatement, to say the least.
Courtesy: Jordan Glover
We chanted loudly in unison down every street along the way with passion, intensity, and signs in hand, disrupting traffic and drawing attention from all walks of life.
“What do we want?” “Gun Control!” “When do we want it?” “Now!” “Tell me what democracy looks like!” “This is what democracy looks like!” “Hey, hey! Ho Ho! The NRA has got to go!
I can still feel the energy and overwhelming sense of solidarity to this day. The sun was hot but the spirit and vigor were on fire.
In complete frankness, however, I admit that I had experienced sporadic apprehension leading up to the march. History has presented to us that events drawing this kind of public attention present their risks. The decline of safety that our country has undergone has instilled in me a sense of heightened paranoia because if we are being truthful, we are no longer safe anywhere. Nevertheless, I knew that I had to put on a brave face and fight my fear for the students of Stoneman Douglas High School who were courageous enough to make the journey to Tallahassee and use their voices to instigate change.
Courtesy: Jordan Glover
Perhaps the highlight of our push for stricter gun legislation was observing the diversity of the crowd and the future of our country. Although the nation has been suffering from polarization regarding the subjects of gun laws and lobbying, I was surrounded by people of all ages, political beliefs, genders, ethnicities, etc. Though the debate has intensified our political climate, for once, this was a fight for an issue that does not solely affect a single group of people, but rather the entire population. Protesting alongside progressive minds, young and old, reassured me that our future is in good hands and that our power will be a tough one to reckon with.
What made my entire experience at the march that much more memorable and remarkable was being able to share it with my friends and to get their perspectives.
Courtesy: Kelly Harris
“It was cool to see the transition of energy; students haven’t shared their voices in that way before at Florida State. As we started walking, people started getting more confident in what they were talking about,” junior student Logan Saliga said. “There was so much diversity. It is such a bipartisan issue and we saw that both sides of the aisle can agree on a common idea. I think this march really brought a lot of FSU students awake and we have the Parkland students that came to thank for that.”
“I hope this march marked the start of a bigger moment in Congress, in culture, and in the world,” freshman student Olivia Pino said. “It was eye-opening and for a good cause. There needs to be a paradigm shift. This has had such a direct impact on my friends and family.”
“I liked that FSU had their own impromptu march to the march as a school,” sophomore student Kelly Harris said. “There was a progression – at first, I was overwhelmed with camaraderie, support, and happiness, but once we all got there, and once politicians spoke, I felt more uneasy. Once the children spoke, I cried several times. I hope this all sparks a greater movement and it already has with the DC march happening on the 24th. I have confidence that something will actually happen.”
I feel extremely fortunate to have had the privilege of hearing mayor Andrew Gillum, representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, and other ambitious politicians speak at the protest. All are determined to make a difference in the state of Florida. Several students from Stoneman Douglas High School gave speeches and poems recounting their experiences from the horrific incident and their words spoke volumes. It was amazing to witness teenagers from ages 15 to 18 speak with the utmost composure, maturity and articulation. They proved to all of us that there is nothing stronger than a resilient voice and a call to action.
Courtesy: Kelly Harris
The march in Tallahassee marked only the beginning of a long, strenuous battle, but I have confidence that there are enough driven people along the front line. I was on an emotional high for several days following the march, feeling conflicting emotions of inspiration, hope and anger. It is bone chilling to fathom that I partook in history being made. Hopefully, this kind of battle does not involve military-style weapons; we have already got enough blood on our hands.
A nationwide protest “March for Our Lives” will take place March 24 in Washington, D.C., New York City, Boston, Los Angeles and several other cities in the United States.