Sonoma County Students Plan "March for Our Lives" Rally in Santa Rosa

Sonoma County high school students are joining the national movement calling for action to address gun violence in schools. Members of the Sonoma County Junior Commission on Human Rights, with support from Petaluma Moms Demand Action, are organizing a county wide rally on Saturday, March 24^th from 10:00am to1:00pm at Old Courthouse Square in downtown Santa Rosa. The Sonoma County “March for Our Lives” rally will feature student speakers, elected officials, and voter registration provided by Indivisible Sonoma County. “Adults always say that students are the future,” says Junior Commissioner and core organizer Lucia Garay.  “I see it as my responsibility to improve that future and encourage my peers to do the same. We are marching because schools should be a safe place for every student. It’s time to break the cycle and take action.” 

After the tragic events in Parkland, Florida, Garay reached out to her fellow commissioners to plan the rally, and contacted the Petaluma Chapter of Moms Demand Action. Chapter Lead Heather Jennings immediately responded. “After the shooting in Parkland I started to view the students standing up and organizing in the wake of tragedy as a real tipping point for the gun violence prevention movement. Their moral courage has motivated a new generation of young people to engage and become politically active on this issue. Petaluma Moms Demand Action is grateful to be a supporting partner to the incredible student leaders in our community who are organizing The Sonoma County March for Our Lives rally,” says Jennings. 

Students nationwide are taking action to demand Congress pass sensible legislation that would help keep students and their loved ones safe from gun violence at school, and beyond. The demands of students include a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, expanding background checks to all gun sales, passing a federal gun violence restraining order law, funding government research on gun violence and promoting safe storage. The Sonoma County ”March for Our Lives” event organizers invite all students, parents and supporters to join them on Saturday March 24^th at Old Courthouse Square in downtown Santa Rosa to hear from some of our youth leaders. Their time has come.

The Junior Commission on Human Rights is a project of the Commission on Human Rights, an appointed advisory board to the County Board of Supervisors. The Junior Commission is intended to provide high school aged youth with the opportunity to participate in advocacy, take an active role in County government, provide education about human rights issues that impact their lives and empower youth to make a positive impact on their communities.

For more information about the Junior Commission, visit the CHR website at:
http://www.sonomacountychr.org/ or follow us at https://www.facebook.com/JCHumanRights/