Black Youth March For Our Lives Rally

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Donna Owens Mar, 24, 2018

Under bright and sunny skies, students, parents, teachers and allies from across the country marched, rallied and chanted in the nation’s capital at today’s March to Save Our Lives.

Young people of color, from tots to high school to HBCU students, were well represented in the fight to combat gun violence in schools and communities. The rally follows fatal mass school shootings around the country, most recently in Florida and Maryland.

Participants on Saturday in D.C. included youth affiliates from the NAACP, National Urban League and Women’s March. Busloads of young people traveled from cities like Baltimore, Chicago, New York, Atlanta and beyond. Sibling marches were held nationwide.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus walked with youth contingencies from their districts; the DNC sent its top brass; and organizations such as the National Council of Negro Women handed out water and snacks.

In the words of songstress Andra Day, whose performance (backed by the Cardinal Shehan School youth choir from Baltimore) stirred the massive crowd, “I’ll rise up.”