Thousands Gather for Gun Control
The March for Our Lives took place March 24, almost 6 weeks after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.
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Holding her sign above her head, a woman marches down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Marching down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, a teenager holds a sign in front of her body at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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While marching with fellow protestors, a woman holds up a sign given to her at the march at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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As he marches with the crowd, a man raises his fist and holds a sign at the march in the air at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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Listening to a teacher speak to the crowd, a woman holds a sign above her head at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Kansas City, Missouri’s mayor Sly James speaks to encourage all in attendance to stay strong and continue the movement at the March For Our Lives in Theis Park March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Two girls march down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd holding a sign above their heads to advocate for gun control at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Girl holds her sign above her head as she marches down Emmanuel Cleaver II Blvd for March For Our Lives in Kansas City, MO on March 24.
PHOTO | Phylicia Barner-Lewis'
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Marching down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, a teenager holds a sign above her head defending her right to worry soley about grades at school at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Asked by the speaker for the crowd to hold their signs in the air, a woman puts her sign in the air at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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As she marches, a woman holds a sign given to her at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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Asked by the speaker for the crowd to hold their signs in the air, a man puts a sign given to her at the march in the air at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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Marching down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, a woman holds a sign beside her to advocate for gun control at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Woman in a wheelchair holds her sign while going down Emmanuel Cleaver II Blvd for March For Our Lives in Kansas City, MO on March 24.
PHOTO | Phylicia Barner-Lewis'
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Sitting down in Theis Park, a woman listens to the featured speaker with her sign leaning against her at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Girl walks down Emmanuel Cleaver II Blvd holding her sign for March For Our Lives in Kansas City, MO on March 24.
PHOTO | Phylicia Barner-Lewis'
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Asked by the speaker for the crowd to hold their signs in the air, a woman puts a sign given to her at the march in the air at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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While walking together, a couple holds a sign together at at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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Listening to the reading of names of those who have been killed by gun violence, a woman holds a sign above her head at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Standing on the corner of Emmanuel Cleaver II Blvd. in the Plaza district of Kansas City, Missouri, a woman marches down the street holding a sign at the March for Our Lives, March 24.
PHOTO | Kaitlin Jones'
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While holding a sign, a woman marches down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd near the Plaza district in Kansas City,MO during the March for Our Lives March 24.
PHOTO | Kaitlin Jones'
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A woman stands in front of Winsteads, a local diner, and holds a sign while marching down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd in Kansas City, Mo for the March for Our Lives March 24.
PHOTO | Kaitlin Jones'
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A woman holding up one of the signs of the March for Our Lives, follows the rest of the congregation down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd near the Plaza District of Kansas City, Mo March 24.
PHOTO | Kaitlin Jones'
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A woman gathered with others marches down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd while holding a sign during the March for Our Lives in Kansas City, Mo March 24.
PHOTO | Kaitlin Jones'
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A senior from the Blue Valley school district delivered a speech, alongside four other students, advocating for gun control at the March For Our Lives, held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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A student from a local high school performs the poem “Am I Next?” alongside three other high school students at Theis Park in Kansas City Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Man marches down Emmanuel Cleaver II Blvd with his sign for March For Our Lives in Kansas City, MO on March 24.
PHOTO | Phylicia Barner-Lewis'
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While they march with the crowd, two women hold a sign they made for the march at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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Sitting in Theis Park, a woman smiles while listening to the featured speaker at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Marching down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd with her parents, a girl holds a sign in front of her body advocating to keep guns out of schools at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Walking around Theis Park, a man hands out flyers at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Marching down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, a man holds a sign beside him advocating for gun control at the March For Our Lives in Kansas, City Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Standing in the crowd of protesters, a woman puts a sign given to her at the march in the air at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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Before lining up to march, a family takes a selfie with their signs at the March For Our Lives, held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Missouri’s representative from the fifth congressional district Emanuel Cleaver voices his support at the March For Our Lives in Theis Park March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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With his hands up and the words “Don’t Shoot” written on them, a man marches down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Marching down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, a woman holds a sign above her head to call for legislative action at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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As he marches with the crowd, a man holds up a sign given to him at the march in the air at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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Marching down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, a woman holds a sign above her head at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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While he marches with the crowd, a little boy holds a sign above his head at the march in the air at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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Marching down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, a woman holds a sign in front of her body parodying the Jonas Brothers song “Year 3000” at the March For Our Lives in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kelly Nugent'
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Boy walks down Emmanuel Cleaver II Blvd holding his sign for March For Our Lives in Kansas City on March 24.
PHOTO | Phylicia Barner-Lewis'
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While marching and yelling, a woman puts a sign given to her at the march in the air at the March For Our Lives held at Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Philly Barner-Lewis'
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Woman marches down Emmanuel Cleaver II Blvd with her sign next to her at March For Our Lives in Kansas City, MO on March 24.
PHOTO | Phylicia Barner-Lewis'
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Sitting on his dad’s shoulders, a boy holds a sign on his head at the March For Our Lives held in Theis Park in Kansas City, Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kaitlin Jones'
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Marching down Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, a man holds a sign in front of his body at the March For Our Lives in Kansas, City Missouri March 24.
PHOTO | Kaitlin Jones'
From Washington D.C. to Seattle, hundreds of thousands of people marched for stricter and more regulated gun laws and acknowledged feelings of political buyouts by the National Rifle Association. In Kansas City, Missouri, approximately 5,000 marched down the sidewalks of Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard in the Plaza district chanting things such as “Protect kids not guns,” and “Vote them out.” For senior Lucy Steyer, this march is a way for young students to become empowered.
“I think it is empowering,” Steyer said. “As all these kids gather across the world it shows that we are empowered and that you don’t have to wait to be an adult to advocate for something.”
The itinerary for the day was driven by local teens from Winnetonka high school, Lee’s Summit, Olathe East, Blue Valley North, West and Northwest at Theis Park at noon. From slam poetry to analytical essays or the outraged rhetoric of the participants, the message of change was consistent. Mayor Sly James spoke urging the public to further research gun laws across the nation and hone in on their local representatives to make effective change.The march began following a route around the Country Club Plaza and returning back to Theis Park for a concluding rally.
The march lasted for roughly an hour as participants carried politically charged signs and walked peacefully. As the march was going on many took to social media with hashtags such as #Neveragain or #throwthemout which contributed to the turnout of people.
The voter registration rate for those 18 years and older increased yesterday during the times of the marches across the United States, according to the Hill.com. Many political groups took advantage of this turnout during the rally. Tables lined the entrance way with each non-profit or organization relevant to gun control. Moms Demand Action were there among representatives from the Green Party and other coalitions. The participants of this movement are hoping to keep speaking out in order to create momentum for the Missouri and Kansas midterm elections Nov. 6.
“We have seen it explode over social media,” senior Ally Crumb said. “I think that is why so many young people need to be involved in order to create the momentum this cause needs.”
The hundreds of gun control marches across the country have added to the recent human rights marches such as the Women’s March in January. These have brought awareness to political issues and cultural issues still. Even speeches from the Pope and former President Barack Obama are urging more constituents to join the cause and fight for gun control. There have been 3,228 deaths from gun violence since the beginning of the new year, and it is only March, according to gunviolencearchive.org.