Naomi Wadler-(pictured top)- and Tiffany D Loftin-(pictured bottom) are changing the narrative of the stereotypical millennial, usually assumed to be oblivious to highly contentious social and political issues such as Gun Prevention Reform—a preconceived notion held by the majority of the previous Baby Boomer generation. These two, remarkable and insightful, young women both made phenomenal speeches at the 2018 March for Our Lives which went viral. The historic student-led demonstration took place on March 24, 2018—drawing out thousands of supporters who traveled from all across the nation to Washington D. C.
The Parkland shooting, which took the lives of 17 students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, has recently initiated public conversations over whether stricter legislation should be drafted for the general purchase of firearms. The student organizers of the March For Lives are protesting to legalize a few propositions which include: Universal Background checks, an Assault Weapons Ban, and incorporating a digital database into the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives—in an effort to ensure and increase public safety.
When eleven-year-old, political activist, Naomi Wadler held the podium at the March for Our Lives, she captivated the thousands of supporters in attendance along with countless others across the world. With her uncanny poised confidence and grace, Wadler shared these powerful words: “I am here today to represent and acknowledge the African-American girls whose stories don’t make the front page of every national newspaper. I represent the African American women who are victims of gun violence who are simply statistics instead of vibrant, beautiful girls, full of potential.” Wadler is acknowledging the intersectionalities of black violence in regards to the young women of color who are also gun violence victims, a narrative that is often overlooked by mainstream news media outlets.
Wadler was granted the opportunity to speak at the event after receiving notoriety from a Now This Video that reported an 18-minute school walkout that she planned, with one of her classmates, to honor the lives that were lost at the Parkland shooting. Naomi’s walkout was unique because she added another minute to acknowledge Courtlin Arrington, a 17-year-old Huffman high school student who was gunned down in the classroom on March 7, 2018, in Birmingham, Alabama. According to Wadler, “I felt that way too often African American women are shot and killed, and their names are not remembered”.
Tiffany D Loftin shares the same passion that Naomi has towards social justice in regards to Gun Prevention Reform. The University of California Santa Cruz graduate is also the National Director of the NAACP Youth & College Division. Her assertive demeanor and dedication towards black causes is apparent when she uttered the following: “….When we talk about legislative issues and solutions for gun violence, it has to include the intersections of black violence…this is not just about white [victims of gun violence], ….”. Loftin’s fight for civil rights didn’t just start when her speech went viral at the March For Our Lives. She has been a devoted advocate, for the proper acknowledgment, for the various issues that plague the African American community outside of gun legislation reform, such as the systematic disenfranchisement of black communities which date back to slavery.
The powerful and inspiring rhetoric used by both of these black women is reminiscent of the amazing speech Jesse Williams gave at the 2016 BET Awards. The Grey’s Anatomy Star was awarded a humanitarian award for the work he has done toward political and social justice reform. He used that moment to acknowledge the great strides that black women have already made and continue to make in the fight against racial injustice. In his speech, William’s dedicated his award to black women specifically, “This is for the black women in particular who have spent their lifetimes dedicated to nurturing everyone before themselves…”
Naomi and Tiffany embody everything that is considered #BLACKGIRLMAGIC. I hope that their powerful words resonated with our political leaders, who are in the position, to make the significant changes to our legislation in order to put an end to our nation’s mass-shooting epidemic.