One of the reasons why I chose to live in D.C for a semester was because of the abundance of events and things to do in the city. Last week, I was able to go to and participate in a protest. This is was on my DC bucket-list because I have always wanted to participate in something that I felt was important for people to hear about and act on. The protest was called “Teens for Gun Reform” and it was protesting against gun violence in the U.S, specifically focusing on school shootings like the Parkland Florida shooting. During the first few minutes of the protest teens and adults laid down for three minutes to represent “how long it takes for someone, like the Florida shooter to purchase a gun that in turn can murder a lot of people.” When I got to the protest I was happy to see how many people came to support the teens. Many people were chanting and holding signs; Some of which that said, “are we next?” and chanting phrases like “shame on you.”
Hearing From the Teens
I was able to interview four high school students in order to capture their personal beliefs on the topic and why they were participating in the protest. One, was a young girl name Maya. She was holding a sign that said, “We call B.S”. She stated that she has attended many protest in the past and she comes to them to support the cause both vocally and physically. When I asked her what does this protest mean to you? She states, “I’m here because it matters to me, and this is matter of protecting me and my sisters and everyone I know, I want to make sure everyone is safe.” Maya was not shy about discussing her beliefs for the camera. She offered great points such as, stating she didn’t believe in taking guns away completely but rather making it harder for people to have access to them.
I also interviewed three high school boys David, Zack and Quinn. All three participated in the lie-in and had interesting views on gun control in the United States. All three raised great points when asked the question “what actions should be taken by the government now?” Quinn stated: “all guns should be taken out of the U.S.” Where as the others believed that more restrictions should be enforced to having access to certain guns (like semi-automatic weapons) instead of wiping out all guns. David made a great point when he explained the significance of this particular protest. The location being in front of the White House heightened the significance of the protest. David stated, “that by being in front of the White House sends a direct message to President Trump, Congress, and to those in power that there needs to be a change.” This is similar to what Maya was saying when explained why she protest, and by having a physical presence at a specific location can send a much stronger and direct message than it would at a different location or just being vocal.
A Little from Me
It was a joy listening and watching teenagers as well as adults stand up for what they believe in and to make their voices heard. I went there not knowing what to expect, as I stated this was my first protest that I had ever attended and participated. While being there I had waves emotions. I was happy because I was able to participate in something that I support and care about, and it was amazing seeing how many others feel the same way. However, the mood behind the protest was filled with anger and sadness. And although I was expecting this, it was at times difficult to be there with those deep emotions. At the same time it was a pleasure because wanted to help their voices be heard and to support them. I am after all a student myself and this could have been my campus. After this experience, I realized that reporting is something that I am interested in, I enjoyed interviewing people and creating a video to tell their stories and make their voices be heard.
[vimeo 257594941 w=640 h=1137]
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