Ever since the tragic events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Valentine's Day, I've been doing extensive research on the victims of the massacre and their families. I believe that, as opposed to learning more about the perpetrator, it is more important to know the names and faces of the innocent people he stole life from. The media tends to fuel the motives of many of these shooters on the basis of a notary. We NEED to move away from that.
But that's beside the point. What I've found is that there are three grieving fathers who have, in the wake of the events, shown themselves to be the trailblazers of change. They each have radically different approaches to solving the gun violence epidemic, which is why I think it is so vital for them to come together as they have been doing. I've also decided to split up this topic into three separate articles, one for each man.
The first father I will be discussing is Mr. Manuel Oliver, who is the father of late 18-year-old Joaquin Oliver, who was set to graduate this past spring when his life was violently stolen from him inside the Parkland school in February. Manuel Oliver is the creator of the Change the Ref Organization, which was formed "to empower our Future Leaders," as the official website puts it. The organization also seeks to give youth the tools they need to speak out and participate in the political process. And finally, Change the Ref focuses on weakening the grip the NRA has on politicians in pushing their respective agenda.
Another remarkable task Mr. Oliver has taken on is known as the "Walls of Demand." From Los Angeles to Chicago to New York City, Manuel Oliver has dedicated numerous murals to his son that depict the heartbreak and sadness that gun violence inflicts on families and those whose lives are taken away. He also strikes each mural with numerous holes with a hammer, and the sounds of the hammer on the board are supposed to sound similar to gunshots. He then puts a sunflower in each of the holes, which is meant to represent a positive change in the face of tragedy.
Oliver's projects have gripped the nation for numerous reasons. His first project shows a progression of paintings of Joaquin from his early childhood to 2017, followed by an empty frame with Joaquin's shoes hung onto the board. The writing below the picture then reads, "We Demand To Live."
An example of Oliver's project in Chicago can be seen in this video.
Seldom do we see a parent so heavily involved in the intertwining of art with tragedy as Mr. Oliver. His walls, along with his organization, force people to take a hard look at the gun violence epidemic. If you watch any one of the videos of Oliver creating one of the walls, you can easily be captured by how powerful, simple, and blunt his demonstrations are. I have no doubt that his efforts will serve as a testament to positive change in America.
