Power of Unity and Solidarity: SFHS Part of Anti-Gun Violence Movement

Sage Merriam, Author

Gun violence has become a major political concern throughout the nation, and people are responding. Here at Santa Fe High, many students and staff are working to make their voices heard on both a local and national level.

Eleven students from SFHS traveled to Washington, D.C., on March 22 to participate in the March For Our Lives: Sophie Colson, Rachel Doolittle, Tori McKinney, Ramona Park, Mariah Barela, Eliyah Bacon, Joy Farkas, Jade Gallegos, Star Goudriaan, Ciara Morgan, and Harvey McGuiness traveled with chaperones Mr. Morrison, Mr. Charles, and volunteer, Esther Lescht. In addition to attending the march on March 24, the group also met with Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) to voice their concerns.

Mr. Morrison organized the trip in a matter of days after an anonymous donor offered to give local students the opportunity to participate. The donor paid for travel and lodging for three nights. According to Time magazine, approximately 800,000 people attended this march, though the crowd estimates vary widely.

Esther Lescht described the experience: “We got in Friday morning and went straight to see Senator Heinrich and had a discussion with him. It was great talking about the gun laws and what his beliefs were, and from the students’ point of view what their beliefs were. … Then Saturday was the march, and it was incredible. We met up with the Aztec [High School] kids and students from Albuquerque. … The students learned so much about politics.”

Ramona Park said, “Although we were quite a bit away from the stage, it was still incredible to stand in solidarity with hundreds of thousands of people. I think meeting Senator Heinrich was also a highlight because we learned politicians are on our side. We should however, keep in mind that giving speeches to a crowd who already agrees with you isn’t as effective as trying to convince others who disagree, so while we can continue to attend these rallies and marches, it’s more important to convince non-supporters.”

Harvey McGuinness said, “Beyond being an incredible display of civil disobediance and an exercise of the First Amendment, this was also an incredibly emotional event. This protest, as well as the hundreds of sibling protests across the nation, gave a face to the Enough is Enough movement. Not only were children and young adults out in swaths asking for legal change, but people of all ages attended. When I attended the March for Our Lives, the power of the crowd was in its unity and in its solidarity. We may not all be survivors of past run-ins with gun violence, but we are all inevitebly subject to its repercussions.”

Coverage of the event can be viewed at this link: http://www.kob.com/politics-news/dont-just-ignore-it-nm-students-join-thousands-in-historic-pennsylvania-avenue-march/4839188/?cat=516

After the tragedy in Florida, where 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, high schools across America have been increasing safety measures and speaking out about how to prevent this from happening again.

The school shooting in Florida, paired with threats of violence that SFHS has received, has sparked a conversation around campus. Of course, this has not been without consequences. On Feb. 23, there was a police presence on campus because a social media post warned SFHS with the threat of gun violence. The administration later found out that this threat was recycled from one in Ohio, and did not pose a real danger, but that didn’t stop the fear and angst in the moment. Many students stayed home from school, and those who didn’t talked about the distress they faced that morning.

Freshman Melanie Montalvo said, “School is meant to be a place for learning and socializing, and hearing that our school was being threatened was very concerning. I look forward to seeing my friends and hanging out. It’s very troubling to know that anything can happen at any time. Things need to change.”

Nevertheless, events such as these do spur action. Joy Farkas, a junior, can verify this. In late February, she organized a poster-making group before the anti-gun violence rally in Demon Plaza. “For me it’s a matter of safety and awareness that this is a problem, not just here in New Mexico but also here in the U.S… . It’s a small step in a large movement.”

Joy offered pizza to draw people in for the poster making on Feb. 27, where participants voiced their opinions.

One student brought up the need to empower the youth in these delicate situations. “We’re the youth,” he said. “We’re about to become adults and go into the world that our parents, and their parents before them, have made for us. People don’t take us seriously enough. They don’t realize that we know things. … We are the next leaders, we are the next politicians, the next presidents, the next doctors.”

On March 1, students and staff convened on Demon Plaza to voice their concerns about guns in a press conference held by the district and covered by several news outlets, including KOB News. Many students spoke, in addition to the cast of 26 Pebbles, a play about the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting performed at SFHS days later.

Ashleigh Jaramillo, a member of the 26 Pebbles cast, said, “How about we arm [the teachers] with school supplies, a higher pay, or maybe even active shooter training. Knowledge should be the only weapon on school grounds. That is what we are armed with when challenging adults, yet we are told we know nothing or we cannot do anything about it because we are just kids. Well, change is coming and you all better be ready for it.”

On March 14, the majority of the student body participated in a nationwide walkout in honor of the Florida victims. At 10 a.m., Demon Plaza flooded with students carrying colorful chalk. After a moment of silence, they took to the concrete to write positive messages about gun safety, perseverance, and resilience, to name a few. Others drew pictures of flowers, peace signs, and so on.

A resolution condoning this student-organized act was “approved and adopted” on Feb. 27 by the SFPS Board of Education. The statement endorsed a 17-minute walkout, with the requirement that it may not be an excuse to leave campus or partake in unrelated activity. It read, “Therefore be it resolved that the SFPS Board of Education affirms the right of our students to peacefully protest at their respective school sites and to participate in the nationwide school walkout on Wednesday, March 14.”

2018 has begun as a tragic year for many individuals and families, but change is occuring at a rapid rate, and young people are stepping up to make it happen. One of the largest protests ever held in D.C. all started with a few angry, motivated teen-agers who were committed to making their voices heard.