ActivismCraftingPolitics

The Kids Are Crafting Our Future

The Chicago March For Our Lives started with a Facebook event created by 16-year-old Natalie Daskal. After finding inspiration in a speech from Parkland survivor and MSDHS student Emma Gonzalez, she looked for a nearby event. Since she didn’t see one, she made it herself.

“I had an idea that it may get kind of big, but I had no clue what was going to happen,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “I just had faith that other people would reach out.”

Once created, the event grew quickly; that one Facebook event turned into a 30-person group chat, and then tens of thousands of interested activists. The event just kept growing, eventually including input from Everytown for Gun Safety, Black Lives Matter Chicago Youth, Young Urban Progressives, Women’s March Chicago, Indivisible Illinois, Gather Activism, and countless other individual supporters. Thus, it all came together on Saturday in the form of a crowd of an estimated 85,000 who marched from Union Park through the West Loop.

Only speakers and performers under the age of 21 took the stage.

JUSTICE FOR THESE NAMES
“It was a great day; very moving. Especially because they focused a lot on gun violence in the city as well, which I thought was important. I got a lot of comments about [my sign] at the march, and I think it’s important to remember the names of people who have died.” PHOTO: Dane Thomas
https://youtu.be/URM5r4N5GXU


A Snowy March Through Cincinnati

Thousands braved the cold, snow, and wet for Cincinnati’s March For Our Lives. Bundled up against the falling snow, a crowd of marchers filled Platt Park carrying signs with slogans including “Bullets are not school supplies” and “Straight As, not AKs.” High school and college students, including 17-year-old march organizer Rasleen Krupp, gave impassioned speeches on the steps of City Hall after a performance with flutes made from gun barrels. After the March, an open mic was made available for anyone who wished to speak.

NRA: NOTHING RATIONAL ABOUT IT
PHOTO: Celia Yost
LEARNING NOT LOCKDOWNS
PHOTO: Celia Yost

Stand Up and Tell ‘Em

In Detroit, young marchers stepped to the front of the crowd to lead the way. The march led protesters along the riverfront, up Woodward, and back to Hart Plaza. There, crowds gathered to hear student organizers and local politicians speak from a stage near the Renaissance Center.

Enough is enough. Protect our kids. Sensible gun laws now. Schools are not war zones.
PHOTO: Jeff Spakowski
IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME! #ENOUGH
PHOTO: Jeff Spakowski
I'M WORTH IT
PHOTO: Jeff Spakowski
ALRIGHT, THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE HERE. GET OUT OF THE WAY.
PHOTO: Jeff Spakowski
PLEASE DON'T GIVE ME A GUN (I HAVE ALREADY DROPPED THIS SIGN)
PHOTO: Jeff Spakowski
TRAINED TO BE A TEACHER, NOT A SHARPSHOOTER
PHOTO: Jeff Spakowski
AND THE NRA WOULD'VE GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT IF IT WEREN'T FOR THOSE MEDDLING KIDS
PHOTO: Jeff Spakowski

When Joanie Marches With You*

The New Orleans March For Our Lives stepped off from Washington Park at noon. From the Marigny, marchers headed up Decatur through the French Quarter. With a destination of City Hall, the procession ended in a rally at Duncan Plaza. An estimated 8,000 people marched for universal background checks, age restrictions for gun purchases, and a repeal of the Dickey Amendment.

*“Joanie on a Pony” is a nickname for the golden statue of Joan of Arc that stands at the end of the French Market.

Marching For Our Lives through the French Quarter
PHOTO: Emmett Joseph
"What is unconstitutional: The Sokovia Accords. What isn't: GUN CONTROL."
PHOTO: Emmett Joseph

Beth Voigt

Beth is a graphic designer in Chicago, a superhero in her own mind, and absolutely nothing on TV. She wrangles fonts professionally, pummels code amateurishly, and has been known to shove fire in her face for fun. Fond of volunteering, late-night bursts of productivity, and making snacks, she dislikes grocery shopping and sticky public transit and is only on her second smartphone. Her opinion is that you should try everything twice; if you don't like it, you were probably doing it wrong the first time around. If external links are your thing, here are links to Twitter and Instagram, and you can support her ongoing weirdness by buying her a coffee or six.

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