We as a nation have established a dangerous trend. We have become so accustomed to being inundated with stories of senseless violence and horrific tragedies that we treat subsequent victim remembrance and activism efforts the same way we treat household chores: we think about them, and then we do them, and then we forget about them as soon as they’re over. Repeat steps two to four every time another dozen kids don’t get to come home from school because we as a nation didn’t do enough. How many more innocent lives are we going to have to lose? Every time we say #NeverAgain, and then it happens again, how does that make us as a nation look? We cannot afford to have an on-again, off-again relationship with an issue that is literally a matter of life and death for everyone. Yes, that includes you, and the person to your right, and the person to your left, and the person in front of you, and the person behind you, and all of the people in schools and homes and workplaces across the country.

The conversation about the change we need to make to protect our schools and communities cannot end here with this walk, nor can it end this week, nor can it end this month, nor can it end this year. Change cannot happen if we fail to keep the issue at the forefront of our minds. To the youth in our audience, we are the future of this nation. Sooner than you think, we will be the ones who tell us how to run things. It is our responsibility to take up that mantel, thoroughly educate ourselves, proudly bring our insights and ideas to the table, and make our voices heard. And if we wait around until the next massacre to start taking things seriously, then it will be too late, so we have to start now, and we have to be persistent. The Student Safety Committee stands with you in our quest for justice, safety, and peace of mind in both our local and national communities. Remember: you can’t ask our leaders to listen if there’s nobody to listen to, so read up, stand up, and speak up.