parkland – March For Our Lives rallies are taking place across South Florida this weekend.
An event in Parkland was organized by high school student Zoe Weisman.
She says planning the event has helped her recover from the trauma she suffered on the day of shooting Marjory Stoneman Douglas.
“I survived the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. I was in nearby middle school, and I felt trapped outside. I developed PTSD from those experiences, and it inspired me to engage in activism, Weisman said.
Weisman says he heard gunshots that day and has since made it his mission to ensure that students never experience the trauma he and many others went through that day.
“I was one of the only children stranded outside that day. Many of us, regardless of our experiences that day, just felt so painful and so sad. ,
Weisman’s March for Our Lives rally will take place Saturday at Pine Trails Park from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
“This includes speakers like me, other survivors, community workers.”
The second will take place at Weston Library Park from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. – hosted by students from Cypress Bay High School.
Finally on Saturday evening another rally in Coral Gables will begin at City Hall from 4 to 7 p.m.
The movement was founded after the 2018 shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas. Students like Zoe Weisman hope their work will help put an end to gun violence.
“Obviously after everything in Uvalde and Buffalo, Parkland and across the country everyone was feeling disappointed. In times of tragedy, this is a window of opportunity that our politicians listen to us.”
Weisman made this rally possible with the help of his mother during the school finals. This is something she says has helped her through her personal grief.
“For survivors like me, it’s really tough because it tells a lot about what we had to do, and I think I’m able to deal with it by planning this march and throwing myself into this march.” Helped. Got it, knowing I’m not the only one watching another mass shooting.”
Weisman says they are expecting about 2,000 people to come.
