On Jan. 21, 2017, the day following the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, over one million advocates rallied in Women’s Marches around the world. These marches grew as a response to Trump’s misogynistic and dangerous rhetoric that were on constant display during his campaign. As a supporter of women’s rights, immigration and sensible gun legislation, it wasn’t even a question if I would be marching or not.
At 3:30 a.m. that morning, my alarm went off and I slowly made my way out of bed. I dressed in layers, running leggings, cargo pants and an insulated turtle neck, with a bright red shirt signaling the organization that I was there to represent: Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
Moms Demand Action formed the day following the shooting at Sandy Hook School by Shannon Watts, a mother of five who was fed up by America’s constant mass shootings and Congress’s lack of action. Four years after its Facebook formation, Moms Demand Action is comprised of over three million volunteers across the country and has a chapter in each state.
At Cabrini, you are challenged to look past your own experiences and delve into local and global issues. My classmates and I wrote articles on social justice issues, we built a website to educate teachers on domestic violence, and we met with senate representatives in Washington, D.C. to lobby for the Lugar-Casey Food Security Act. We were provided with awareness, knowledge and skills and after graduation there was an expectation to use them to make a positive impact.
Though my days at Cabrini are over, the responsibility to use my education and talents to build change continues. Aside from my full-time job, I am the volunteer Communications Lead for the Moms Demand Action chapter in New Jersey. My senators’ numbers are stored in my phone, I’ve gone to Trenton in support of smart gun legislation, I’ve had my letters to the editor printed in local papers, I’ve met Bill Clinton, I’ve watched Rep. John Lewis speak and now I’ve participated in the largest protest in history.
I know these experiences would have never occurred if I wasn’t provided with a platform to grow my voice or the tools to build my skills, all which I received at Cabrini University and am applying daily in my mission to end gun violence. The road is long and there is a lot to accomplish but if there is anything I’ve learned as a Cabrini student and as current Moms Demand Action volunteer it’s that you keep going.
