More Than 650 Sibling Marches in All 50 States Planned in Support of Student-Led ‘March for Our Lives’ Movement on March 24
Find or Register for a Sibling March at www.MarchforOurLives.com/events
NEW YORK – Everytown for Gun Safety today announced a first round of grant recipients and additional city support for sibling marches planned on March 24 by student leaders as part of the “March for Our Lives” movement.
In the wake of the recent mass shooting that cut short 17 lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and wounded more than a dozen others, organizers of the student-led March for Our Lives will take to the streets to demand that lawmakers make students’ lives and safety a priority and pass common-sense gun safety legislation that will make all Americans safer. More than 650 sibling marches are planned across all 50 states – along with the flagship march taking place in Washington, D.C. – as an opportunity for those around the world to show their support for this important cause.
Everytown previously announced it will make available $5,000 grants to support organic, local sibling marches in communities big and small around the country. The goal of the grant program is to ensure that sibling marches around the country have operational resources to organize these powerful events. Grant recipients announced today include marches organized by survivors of gun violence and come from a diverse set of states, from Tennessee to Washington state. Among the first round are:
- Beeville, Texas: Organizers in this town of 13,000 were the first to submit a grant application for a local March for Our Lives event. With the support of local leadership, they have been able to get downtown closed for their march.
- Indianapolis, Indiana: March to be led by We Live Inc., a local organization that was founded by a group of students from Warren Central High School after two loved ones were taken by gun violence in May 2017.
- Lexington, Kentucky: Four of the young women organizing the march had a sibling taken by gun violence in the last two years. They are marching to open the eyes of people in their state to the problem of gun violence.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: In addition to the march in Pittsburgh, a group of students will represent the city at the DC march. Their grant will support buses to DC for 200 young people, many of whom have been personally impacted by gun violence, and volunteer chaperone mothers who had children taken by gun violence.
- San Jose, California: Working alongside city leaders, student organizers are planning for a sizeable march. Saying that Parkland was a “tipping point,” they want their voices heard and hope to inspire others to stand up and speak out.
- Spokane, Washington: Several of the student organizers attend Freeman High School, where a 16-year old took one of his father’s guns to school in September 2017, killing one student and injuring several others. They are marching to stand with the Parkland students and the families in Spokane and across the country who have lost a child to school shootings.
Alongside grant recipients planning sibling marches and the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C., other major cities across the country have expressed interest in holding their own marches led by student activists. In support of cities that have shown early momentum and to help amplify their efforts, Everytown announced today that it will supply additional operational and logistical resources for sibling marches in Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Milwaukee and New Orleans.
Additional details on sibling marches, including how to register to organize a march, is available at www.MarchforOurLives.com/events.
STATEMENT FROM LORI ALHADEFF, WHOSE 14-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ALYSSA WAS SHOT AND KILLED AT MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL:
“No parent should feel the weight of this grief and know what it’s like to arrange for the burial of their 14-year-old. I hope that the actions of Alyssa’s classmates and friends to demand sensible gun laws are a step in the right direction. It is crucial that we listen to the voices of the students in this fight to help save lives.”
STATEMENT FROM ALY SHEEHY, STUDENT AT MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL:
“Nearly one month ago, my entire world was shattered by a senseless act of gun violence as I sat in the auditorium at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. But out of that tragedy, I joined with my fellow classmates who decided we can’t let this happen to another school, another community. I’m honored to be joined by Americans from around the country on March 24 who will walk side by side in Washington, D.C. and in our local communities as we demand an end to gun violence.”
STATEMENT FROM NZA-ARI KHEPRA, WHOSE 15-YEAR-OLD FRIEND, HADIYA PENDLETON, WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN A PLAYGROUND ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO. NZA-ARI FOUNDED PROJECT ORANGE TREE AND CO-CREATED WEAR ORANGE:
“It’s inspiring to see so many students rise up and demand a safer nation. Gun violence puts every American at risk. On March 24, we’ll prove that the next generation will not accept senseless gun violence as the new normal. We’ll fight to throw out anyone who stands in the way of common sense.”
STATEMENT FROM JOHN FEINBLATT, PRESIDENT OF EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY:
“Across the country, groups of fearless, focused students are stepping up and demanding that elected officials protect them and reject the NRA. Gun violence tears apart communities across America – and our job is to help make sure lawmakers hear that loud and clear.”
STATEMENT FROM SHANNON WATTS, FOUNDER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION:
“Americans have had enough. We won’t stand idly by and allow our families to live in fear of gun violence while our lawmakers do nothing to help prevent it in the first place. Moms Demand Action volunteers are honored to be part of this student-led movement to demand stronger gun laws. Lives are on the line, and we simply can’t wait any longer to act – for many Americans, it’s already too late.”