Janesville, WI
6/22/2018

I hadn’t been to Janesville, WI for two-years. The last time was to photograph a Trump Rally during his campaign for president. I came here today to photograph and witness a much, much more hopeful event, ‘March For Our Lives: Road To Change.’ This event was a meet up for youth interested in hearing what they could do help bring change in gun control laws. The organizers were from March for Our Lives Wisconsin and students from Parkland, Florida. This is also part of a larger summer tour the Parkland students are on. During their tour they will be working with local student activists on voter registration and meet-ups like this to talk about what is happening to their generation.

Personally, as a parent, every time there has been a school shooting my heart sinks. I wanna run home and hold my daughter, hug her tight and never let go. I don’t want to her or I to live in fear. Yet because of the strong influence of the NRA, a deeply embedded gun culture, who cling to an antiquated 2nd Amendment, and politicians who think ‘Thoughts & Prayers’ are substitutes for action, we are forced to live fearful that it’s not a matter of if it will but when will it happen.

I grew up with guns. My father had pistols, rifles and shotguns, a subscription to ‘Guns & Ammo’ magazine. I learned to shoot several of those guns. There was a time I knew gun models, what was new and powerful, and even had a wishlist. Add to this movies and television that normalized the use of guns to solve most any problem. I thankfully moved away from a fascination with guns, eventually getting to the place I am at today; they are an unnecessary tool and that if most didn’t have guns, their life would be no less complete. So when I see this group of young activists taking a stand and making their voices heard it gives me hope that my seven year old daughter has a chance.

As I walked around the hall photographing and listening to students talking to each other, I felt a sense of hope. The conversations ranged from asking about how do we move forward to what is your favorite food. There was laughing and some crying. I also realized these are kids, teenagers. This may seem obvious of course. Adults would be arguing about hunting rights, personal freedom, the second amendment, and money, most with an agenda, hidden or known, as to why they didn’t want gun control. But here, the youth were focused on how do we help keep each other safe. They were focused on life and living, surviving pk-12, getting out alive. Their primary, and possibly only agenda item, was preserving life, no matter the cost. The needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few.

Once again after a rally like this I have a renewed sense of hope. It may be fleeting, lasting only until a read though of tomorrows headlines. But, there is hope out there. And knowing this should help get us through shit and to the other side.