On March 24th, 2018, hundreds of thousands of people marched worldwide. The seas of people in major cities flooded the streets in hope to bring awareness to the necessity of gun reform in America. After Parkland student survivors took to social media to create the March For Our Lives campaign, thousands of people were inspired by the courage and initiative the youth displayed. Backed by celebrities, donations from wealthy philanthropists, and support from organizations working to enact change, the students brought over 800,000 people to protest in D.C. There were over 800 marches that day and though I did not make it to D.C., I was able to photograph and document the march in Richmond, Virginia.

Just past the Virginia Commonwealth University, MCV campus, there is a bridge leading to Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, where the 1.2-mile march began. Activists gathered early that morning around the school grounds with attention-grabbing signs. The protest began with two short introductions from the new superintendent and a school board chair for the 8th District. High school students from all grade levels had their own well practiced and well thought out speeches prepared. It was amazing to see these kids stand up on that bus and give their own unique take on the issue to the thousands that had shown up to march in solidarity with them. Senator Tim Kaine and Mayor Levar Stoney took time to say a few words in between the student's speeches, poems, and songs. The event was student organized and the adults hardly spoke other than to commend the teens on their dedication and courage. The crowd that stood there in the brisk morning air were of all ages, ethnicity, and gender and they all stood there with a heavy heart and unified concern for the safety of kids in school. It was mournful, it was angry, but it was also hopeful and it was the reason we were all together that day.

Pictured above is Daniela Reyes, a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University. Reyes holds her sign as she watches a crowd learn the words to protest songs. "The meaning behind my sign is for others to realize there are more prevalent and life-threatening things happening in high schools that need to be addressed," Reyes explained. "Something we should not do to 'fix' this problem is require students to have clear backpacks. We need stricter rules, which include mental health background checks and an age restriction."

Ella Baughan, (pictured far left) poses in front of the capitol with her friends. Although Ella is only an 8th grader at Midlothian Middle School, her friends and she are no strangers to protesting, as they attended the Women's March just last year. "I feel like it's really important that people feel safe in schools. I also feel there is a lot of unnecessary violence with guns which needs to stop," Baughan said. She also listed banning bump stocks, magazines, and assault rifles as important solutions to addressing the issue.

Delaney Messitt was another protester who participated in the Women's March in Pittsburgh last year. Messitt recently graduated college but says she fears for her friends' lives who are still in school. "I survived school, which is something I shouldn't have to say. Obviously, it's time for gun laws to change. We need gun reform now. I'm scared for my friends in high school, in college, in public, and just in general," Messitt confesses. She continues on by stating the need for universal background checks. "It needs to be more extensive, it shouldn't just be about criminal records. I think it should be about mental health, mental well-being, home-life, any type of trauma they've been through. I don't think that's something too hard to implement."

Chloel Welch partook in her first Richmond march on Saturday, but also went to the Women's March as well as the Pride March in D.C. in 2017. "It sounds really cheesy, but the biggest thing you can do is register to vote. I know a lot of college kids don't do it because it's kind of a pain to get the whole address thing figured out. But the fact is, there are so many people in the world who are literally dying for the right to vote. Frankly, it's disrespectful to them and the people in this country who have died so that we can vote," Welch proclaimed. As we were talking, a woman snuck up behind us and asked if we were all registered to vote. We both laughed over the perfect timing. Welch continued with emphasizing the importance of talking to your legislators. "Not to defend them, but they can't vote what we want them to if they don't know what we want."

Amanda Lynch is a behavior specialist at Woodville elementary school. "I'm very concerned about the community violence in this area and in East End. We're almost like sitting ducks," Lynch said. She was accompanied by her daughter that day as well. "I have four children, it's a pretty important issue for me and it's the other reason I'm marching today."

The fight for gun reform has only just begun. It will take time to get the numerous wants and needs of these people to get across to the other side. The NRA members, right-winged conservatives, and politicians who do not understand the call for common sense gun laws are the ones we need to converse with. As we stand with like-minded people, we grow strong in our beliefs. We do not have to argue, just preach with the conscious awareness that it will be well received. But the real fight is helping those who do not believe in the cause; giving them a small grasp on what we stand for. A controversial and touchy subject will never go away without the comprehension of the opposing view. We all too often listen to reply and not to understand. It is one of the biggest barriers pushing the two sides further and further apart. This movement will go down in history, but to achieve its full goal, it must be done through understanding and change--not by thoughts, prayers, or arguing.