Students and community members huddled together in Library Mall on Feb. 21 to honor the 17 high school students that were shot in Parkland, Florida on Valentine’s Day. Despite the chilly February air, many came to show their support for the victims and those who were impacted by the tragedy. Several UW-Madison students who had ties to the Parkland community spoke into a megaphone to give their perspective on the shooting. Many emphasized how it had affected them personally, some even cited having younger siblings or friends who were at the school when the shootings took place. Several speakers knew some of people who were killed; in one instance, the victim had been a family friend of the speaker. Another had been a beloved coach, and a third was a respected teacher and mentor.
Many speakers also offered their opinions on how they believed the country should move forward in the wake of this tragedy. There was an emphasis on calling for legislative action and cooperation from both sides of the political aisle to ensure that these kinds of shootings won’t continue to occur.
The vigil was followed by a march to the capitol building to symbolize a demand for legislative action.