Post: Couter-Power, March for our Lives

"We Want Change", March For Our Lives

In USA, the principal issue that brings people to the grave is gun violence. Nevertheless, politicians doesn't want to regulate the laws thanks to the coercion of lobbies as NRA. NRA has gain a lot of power and some mouvements has been set up to stand up against gun violence. March for Our Lives was created after the school shooting in Douglas HighSchool, in Florida. The March for Our Lives was a student-led demonstration in support of legislation to prevent gun violence in the United States. Emma Gonzalez, a senior from Marjory Stoneman Douglas institute and with the help of Cameron Kasky, cried out their pain and her fellow classmates, with the will of being heard and to have a voice. On conclusively, they founded the “March for our Lives” movement. Their objective was to inform people on the damages that such events can have on entire communities but also to wear awareness on the use of arm and gun control.  It took place in Washington, D.C., on March 24, 2018, with over 880 sibling events throughout the United States and around the world. 

 The youth are tired to allow the suffer due to the normalisation of gun violence. They require the gouvernement to react and show that non violence can be a solution. Their mission statement advocate for the reglamentation of guns in USA. They fight for a country we're crime and violence is erase. They fight for justice. People start protesting for the political inaction. This demonstration has been take place in all around the country. It would seem that the deadly Florida school shooting on February 2018, was an eye-opener for many Americans. They aim to harness the sensibility of the people and tries to raise awareness about the mental and physical damage provoque by the intention leaft by the gun violence. There peace plan for a safer America includes to go deeply on the roots of the problem.  However, even thought this unfortunate event cannot be erased from people’s minds, we can still find a form of resilience. Gun violence is destroying our generation.

Thanks to their comprehensive policy platform to end the gun violence epidemic in America. The youth vote wants to face the gun lobby and end with this constant pressure that NRA implies to the government. This problem is a national public health emergency.

"We want change"

We believe in C.H.A.N.G.E. – six bold steps that the next Presidential Administration and Congress must take to address this national gun violence epidemic.

Protect kids not guns / 

The government need to protect the future of children and nation. This cannot take place if they are more interested in their own benefit with the NRA instead of trying to protect humans. They need to stop focusing in increasing their money and start carrying about the people who are suffering and living a live changing due a some traumas cause by the gun violence. 

Fear has no place in school

School shooting are ruining kids lives. They shouldn't be worried about the haunting dead provoke by the gun violence. The video Generation LookDown explains very well how the childhood has been poisoned by the constant threat of guns and death.

These mottos encourage the idea that kids shouldn't be involve on gun violence.

EDNA LIZBETH CHÁVEZ on the principal stage on March for Our Lives in 2018

Chavez is a leading youth activist and a passionate supporter of gun control. She was a key participant in the March for Our Lives and works tirelessly as a student voter registration organizer. Her conviction and willingness to speak for herself and other youth who crave meaningful change have pushed her to the forefront of a generation willing to fight for what they believe in. Chavez shares how the pain in her life and the life of her peers have served as motivation. She calls on the older generations and those in office to create room for youth leaders to help move us toward a better tomorrow. Chavez shared her personal story of loss with the world in an emotional speech about her brother, who was shot and killed, and how common gun violence is in South L.A. She says that she isn’t the same person that she was before as the shooting changed her life forever.

Edna Chavez student and activist made a powerful statement about how gun violence impacts not only the victims, but their families and friends. The poised young woman spoke as tears streamed down her face when she mentioned losing her older brother Ricardo through gun violence. Edna lost his brother Ricardo to gun violence. She explains that the trauma from her brother's death has stuck with her and her family ever since. As she cried, mourning the loss of her brother, the crowd began to chant Ricardo’s name.

Edna’s powerful speech is a result of her work through the Community Coalition, which she is a part of. She said the organization has taught her to be a leader and an activist for policy change.

"If the bullet did not kill me, that anxiety and that trauma will," she said. "I carry that trauma everywhere I go. I carry it with me in school, in class, walking home, and visiting loved ones. I am not alone in this experience." She will no longer cope the trauma or grieve about it. She will have troubles concentrating and she will deal with uncontrollable emotions. She said that what it's important is to speak about it.
"It's normal to the point that I learned to duck from bullets before I learned how to read."
This women represents all the young activist who change the world. They speak out, they raise their voice and they fight for a better future. If the government doesn't change, the duty of youth would be to make them change it.

“Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don't give up the fight.”
- Bob Marley

“The duty of youth is to challenge corruption.” 
― Kurt Cobain


“Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
insurrection

: an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government

EDNA LIZBETH CHÁVEZ: Hola, buenas tardes. My name is Edna Lizbeth Chávez, and I am from South Los Angeles, California, el sur de Los Ángeles. I am a 17-year-old senior at Manual Arts High School and a member of an organization called Community Coalition, where I am a youth leader at South Central Youth Empowered Thru Action. At Community Coalition, we organize high school students to develop their leadership skills in order to push for educational justice in our communities. That’s why I got involved. I wanted to impact policies and make sure our voices are heard.

I am a youth leader. I am a survivor. I have lived in South L.A. my entire life and have lost many loved ones to gun violence. This is normal, normal to the point that I have learned to duck from bullets before I learned how to read.

My brother, he was in high school when he passed away. It was a day like any other day, sunset going down on South Central. You hear pops, thinking they’re fireworks. They weren’t pops. You see the melanin on your brother’s skin turn gray. Ricardo was his name. Can y’all say it with me?

CROWD: Ricardo! Ricardo! Ricardo! Ricardo! Ricardo! Ricardo! Ricardo! Ricardo! Ricardo!

EDNA LIZBETH CHÁVEZ: I lost more than my brother that day. I lost my hero. I also lost my mother, my sister and myself to that trauma and that anxiety. If the bullet did not kill me, that anxiety and that trauma will. I carry that trauma everywhere I go. I carry it with me in schools, in class, walking home and visiting loved ones.

And I am not alone in this experience. For decades, my community of South Los Angeles has become accustomed to this violence. It is normal to see candles. It is normal to see posters. It is normal to see balloons. It is normal to see flowers honoring the lives of black and brown youth that have lost their lives to a bullet.

How can we cope with it, when our school district has its own police department? Instead of making black and brown students feel safe, they continue to profile and criminalize us. Instead, we should have a department specializing in restorative justice. We need to tackle the root causes of the issues we face, and come to an understanding on how to resolve them.

I am here to honor the Florida students that lost their lives and to stand with the Parkland students. I am here, today, to honor Ricardo. I am here today to honor Stephon Clark. I am here today to uplift my South L.A. community!

Enough is enough. Question: How many more children have to die so that this problem is finally acknowledged?

Policymakers, listen up. Arming teachers will not work! More security in our schools does not work! Zero-tolerance policies do not work! They make us feel like criminals. We should feel empowered and supported in our schools. Instead of funding these policies, fund mentorship programs, mental health resources, paid internship and job opportunities. My brother, like many others, would have benefited from this. So let’s make it happen. It’s important to work with people that are impacted by these issues—the people you represent.

We need to focus on changing the conditions that foster violence and trauma. And that’s how we will transform our communities and uplift our voices. This has not, and shall not, stop us. It has only empowered us.

Mi nombre, my name, is Edna Lizbeth Chávez. Remember my name. Remember these faces. Remember us and how we’re making a change. La lucha sigue. Gracias y bendiciones.