As I say in my piece below, “words are meaningless inactions if not backed by action” but I write this piece because I am inspired by the students from Stoneman Douglas. Their words are not meaningless. Their action is loud and it is beautiful. I have spent the last week listening to their voices, seeing their pain and I am so profoundly moved in how they have taken the anger and pain and made it the source of their strength and not their defeat. These young voices lead a new generation where generations before have failed.

prayers, useless energy that’s never spent
thoughts, empty gestures
words, meaningless inactions if not backed by action
children, making their voices heard
demanding to be listened to
not to be reasoned with
they’ve had enough
enough loss
enough tears
enough fears
adults have let them down
government has ignored them
their voices will be heard
their anger will be acknowledged
they will heal their own pain
not waiting for adults to comfort
they will be their own voices
not letting adults speak for them
they will be their own heroes
standing with the heroes that fell before them
they will be the change
never again will they be ignored
never again will they be in pain
one by one
group by group
each step they take will make the foundations tremble
each step they take will make those who ignore them shake
each step they take will make the righteous gasp in fear
never again will they lose a friend
never again will they let another be angered by loss
never again will their voices be silenced
never again will they allow the violence