I am a student. I am a 19 year old woman. I am a future educator. I will not stop.

To those of you who believe a student’s place is simply in the classroom- we will not stop. We are the future of this country, and of this world we share. In order to make sure it’s still around, and we’re still around, we will march. We will demand change- whether it’s in the classroom, in the community, or in our nation’s capital.

To those of you who value the Second Amendment over our right to live. The Second Amendment was ratified in 1791, stating “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” This was during a time when guns could not shoot hundreds of rounds at a time, and the very state of the country was at risk of existing. Now, the lives of those that make up this country are at risk. You can still have your hunting rifles, your handguns, your pistols. What you cannot have is our lives.

To those of you who do not understand the problem. This is a matter of life and death. The problem is students, teachers, people, are dying. There have been 56 mass shootings since the start of this year. On an average day, 96 Americans die of gun violence. There have been more than two dozen school shootings this year alone. THIS is the problem. If you can’t see that, then I urge you to open your eyes.

To those of you who believe protests are pointless. Despite the deaths of my peers across this country, and the lives taken of faculty members, and people living in the territory of the United States, nothing is happening. Nothing. We die, but there is no change. Some call for thoughts and prayers as the solution. The solution is reform. And when the people in charge don’t change, we will. We will march. We will walk out. We will stand, we will rally, we will speak. Enough is enough. We are taking our lives back into our own hands.

To those of you who are waiting for this to pass. It will not. Until lives cease to be lost, we will fight on. We demand change. And until that happens, this will not pass.

We will not stop.