Students participate in national “March for Our Lives”
A sign hoisted by protesters. Photo credit Imani Woolery.
On March 24th, students all across the national march in the streets of their cities. The March for Our Lives was focused on gun control and pushing student safety above all.
Some adults and teachers turned out to be part of the event as well. Many marchers walked with homemade signs, chanted and went out with friends.
Some of our WHS students participated in the march on the 24th, and some were willing to talk with us about their experience. Sophomore Sydney Byun participated in the event. “I think it was important to be able to show my support for the students affected by gun violence every day. I also marched because I never want anything like this to happen to me or my friends.”
Byun made a double sided sign, with the front saying “ENOUGH” and listing the victims from Parkland, while the back side listed more names of victims from other school shootings and saying “Time for change.”
Senior Imani Wolery attended the march as well, and said in a written statement to the Paw Print “The March For Our Lives in Portland March 24th was an overall transformative experience. Never did I ever think that I would be eighteen fighting for my safety, and others safety in a place where I’m supposed to learn. This is why I had to speak up. I drove to Portland with my friend Hannah Jenson, to join the mothers, fathers, children, students, teachers, of America who have been silenced for too long. We were finally one.”
“We began to march and scream “this is what democracy looks like.” As I walked in the comfort of strangers I wondered, when were we going to be heard? How loud did we have to scream? How many posters did we have to make? Why didn’t the NRA care about my life? Why don’t they care about our future? I held my poster reading “choose me not guns”, a woman smiled at me and held her poster back “listen to our kids.” She wanted to choose me and that meant everything. That is when I realized the good outweighed the bad. All around me, were supportive, powerful, intelligent, people who too wanted me to choose them.”
