The first first protest I took part in was the March For Our Lives (MFOL), in 2018, which took place in my town and was part of a national movement. I was, and still am, impressed by what the young activists behind the movement accomplished. 

These organizations have made progress, but the battle is far from over. Just on September 19,, there was a shooting involving five police officers in York, PA.

The Clarke Forum hosted Andrew K. Ankamah Jr., founder of The Accountability Initiative, Jaclyn Corin,a Parkland survivor and Executive Director of MFOL and Larren Wells, the founder of a chapter of Students Demand Action at the University of Pittsburgh.

Wells experienced gun violence in school, too. Reflecting on the experience, she remembers thinking, “This was going to make it so that nothing could be the same.” 

She explained that her school did a lot of emotional work–such as making mental health services accessible–and there was an outpour of support on social media, but she wanted to do something more. She wanted to take action. 

“Thoughts and prayers are not enough” is a common phrase in organizations such as MFOL and Students Demand Action. Wells embodies this expression, continuing to fight for what she believes in after a traumatic experience with gun violence. 

Wells spoke about the role social media plays in the increase in gun violence and cautioned against the desensitization as a result of it. This warning comes from her personal experience of the phenomenon, as videos of her school’s shooting flooded media immediately after the incident.  

In response to a question about burnout and feeling hopeless amidst the difficult work she does, Ankamah said, “the work will always be there..make time for your family and friends.”

All three panelists acknowledged the large task on their plates and spoke about their experience with burnout or feeling overwhelmed, but all three are passionate on a personal level about ending gun violence. 

Corin spoke about the pressure she felt in 2018 to make sure nobody experienced what she had again. She recalled older generations and news outlets stating that they “hop[e] that the kids can fix this.” 

However, this is not just a Generation Z problem. According to Everytown, another organization committed to preventing gun violence, “nearly six out of every 10 gun deaths in the US are suicides, resulting in an average of 71 deaths a day.”

“We collectively need to wake up and treat each shooting as a call to action,” said Corin. 

She explained the need to equip people in our communities, give them tools to empower themselves so they don’t feel so scared, which is one part of her work as an activist.  

Speaking to students, Wells wanted to make one thing clear, saying “No one is immune to gun violence…regardless of the city you’re in.”