NYC students refuse to be silenced.
In an effort to see stricter gun laws in the U.S., roughly 6,000 students in the city from institutions such as Stuyvesant High School, The Beacon School, BARD Manhattan, among others, will participate in a second walkout on Friday, Apr 20 at noon in Washington Square Park. They'll join forces with other schools across the country. This comes in the wake of the Mar 14 walkout in response to the horrific shooting in Parkland, Florida that left 17 people dead.
Between these NYC protests and the national March for Our Lives movement, it's clear young citizens are becoming involved and taking a stand to fight for their beliefs. Just take a look at the organizer behind the NYC walkout, 16-year-old Arielle Geismar, co-founder of New York City Says Enough. The group is attempting to become a 501c organization and exceeded its $7,000 goal to raise funds for the Apr 20 walkout.
"I and so many other people my age are ready for change, and will not stop until we get it," she says. "We are no longer accepting responses from politicians that include 'in the future' or 'soon.' We are planning to file for incorporation for 501c4 status. Becoming official and being able to have a public statement on politicians we support is extremely important. This rally is the next step from the March 14 walkouts. In March, we mourn, and in April, we act."
The walkout, which will take place on the anniversary of the Columbine tragedy, will include survivors from the Colorado high school, as well as survivors from Parkland, Florida and Newtown, Connecticut. Those meeting in Washington Square Park are asked to wear orange, the national gun violence awareness and prevention color.
"Along with thousands of students nationwide, I feel that this is truly a fight for our lives. Too often I have turned on the television only to see another mass shooting, and think, 'That could have been me,' Geismar adds.
To learn more about the walkout or how you can donate to the cause, visit the New York City Says Enough site here.
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