March For Our Lives Activists: Our Generation Matters

THE YOUTH VOTE IS PROVING CRUCIAL IN THIS YEAR'S ELECTION AND THIS COPS AS AMERICA'S YOUNG ARE LEADING A NEW WAVE OF POLITICAL ACTIVISM.

MOST FAMOUSLY BRINGING MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE TO THE STREETS DEMANDING GUN REFORM IN THE 2018 MARCH FOR OUR LIVES.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'LL GET OUT, IF HE WAS GOING TO COULD THAT BACK.

WAS I GOING TO DIE.

I REMEMBER LOOKING UP.

I'M GOING TO DO THAT.

THE STUDENTS ARE BOUND TO WORK TOGETHER ON THE GUN ISSUE.

THAT'S ALL WE EVER WANTED IN THE FIRST PLACE, TO BE LISTENED TO.

SO STRANGE.

WHAT IF WE GOT TO CHANGE IT?

YOU TELL ME THAT YOU WILL NOT ACCEPT A SINGLE DONATION.

THE NATIONWIDE WALKOUT INSPIRED.

TALK ABOUT IT.

ANOTHER THING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

WE'RE SEEING A REAL MOVEMENT HERE.

THERE ARE 800 EVENTS ON EVERY CONTINENT EXCEPT ANTARCTICA TODAY.

IT IS MY OBLIGATION TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT THE YOUNG POPULATION CARES ABOUT.

> A NEW DOCUMENTARY US KIDS TELLS THE STORY.

OUR NEXT GUESTS ARE TWO STARS OF THE MOVIE AND THE MOVEMENT.

ALEX KING WHO LOST HIS NEPHEW TO GUN VIOLENCE, AND DAVID HOGG, A SURVIVOR OF THE PARKLAND SHOOTING AT STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL IN FEBRUARY 2018.

AND HERE THEY ARE, SPEAKING TO HARI SREENIVASAN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF YOUTH ACTIVISM.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

FIRST, FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH HOW YOU TWO ARE CONNECTED, DIFFERENT STORIES HERE.

PEOPLE MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR FACE OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

ALEX, HOW ARE YOU INVOLVED?

WELL, I WAS AT THE PARK WHERE IT HAPPENED.

TWO TO THREE WEEKS AFTER THE PEACE WARRIORS THAT I WORK IN MY SCHOOL, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I'M WITH, WENT DOWN THERE TO JUST BASICALLY, UNDERSTANDING, COMING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING, COMING FROM CHICAGO.

WE ENDURE.

WE SEE GUN VIOLENCE AT A HIGHER RATE.

JUST STARTING LIKE THAT.

COMING OFF, EXPERIENCING, WE UNDERSTAND.

THIS HAPPENS TO US DAILY.

HOW CAN WE COME TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN?

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SET OUT TO DO.

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS SOMETHING BEYOND A SINGULAR MOMENT.

YEAH.

I THINK THE WAY WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT WAS BY REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE REALIZED THERE IS NO COMMUNITY OTHER THAN PARKLAND.

BY RECEIVING OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES, THE PEOPLE LIKE ALEX, RIGHT THERE.

IT IS ENCOURAGING TO US.

HOPEFULLY SHARE THE SPOTLIGHT.

IT IS AN ISSUE AROUND INJUSTICE.

AND IT IS AN ISSUE WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY IN PLACES LIKE CHICAGO THAT DON'T GET COVERED AS MASS SHOOTINGS.

THERE'S NOT MUCH MORE THERE.

SO I THINK THE WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TURN THIS IN FROM A MOMENT INTO A MOVEMENT, WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR DECADES BUT RARELY GET ANY OF THE CREDIT.

ESPECIALLY THE BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN THAT STARTED THE MOVEMENT DECADES AGO.

AND THAT'S WHY IT HAS TURNED INTO A MOVEMENT.

THE GROUNDWORK THEY'VE LAID.

WE'RE JUST WORKING WITH THEM.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR STORY.

WHAT MADE THIS SO PRO FOUND THAT YOU DEDICATED SO MUCH OF YOUR LIFE TO THIS?

SO I WAS WITH PEACE WARRIORS SINCE LIKE MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.

THAT WAS BACK, OH, TAKING ME BACK DOWN MEMORY LANE.

THEN I LOST MY NEPHEW AND THAT PUSHED ME DEEP ENTIRE MY WORK.

BECAUSE IT HIT HOME FOR ME.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, I NOTICED PEOPLE DON'T REACT UNTIL IT HITS HOME.

ME KNOWING I WAS DOING THIS, THAN TO HAVE THIS IN FLORIDA.

ON VALENTINE'S DAY.

ONE OF THE MOST LOVING DAYS IN THE WORLD.

NOTHING BUT LOVE SHOULD BE HAPPENING.

IT WAS INSANE.

JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT.

THINKING ABOUT MY EMOTIONS DURING THAT TIME.

I WASN'T EVEN THERE.

I WAS TRYING TO PUT MYSELF INSIDE EVERYBODY'S SHOES.

HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

I KNOW THAT THERE WAS PAIN EVERYWHERE.

ESPECIALLY CLOSER TO THE SITUATION.

SO HOW I COULD HELP WAS THAT WAS MY MIND SET.

HOW DID YOU ORGANIZE THIS?

THE MOVIE IN SOME WAYS, IT'S A BIT LIKE A ROADY MOVIE GOING ON TOUR WITH A BAND.

IT WAS YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS.

IT WASN'T A CELEBRATORY EVENT BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO SAY, GET ON THE BUS.

IN THOSE CITIES, DECIDING FROM THERE AND ASKING IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO GO ON TOUR WITH US.

IT WAS LIKE TWO DAYS.

IT ENDED UP BEING LIKE TWO MONTHS.

BUT YEAH.

WE INVITED THEM ON.

IT WAS VERY, IT WAS VERY SPUR OF THE MOMENT, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.

BUT YEAH.

IT WAS AN INTERESTING THING.

THE PEOPLE IN POWER TODAY WANT NOTHING MORE THAN FOR US TO BE DIVIDED.

OUR UNITY IS THEIR GREATEST FEAR.

BECAUSE THE WHEN THE BLACK INNER CITY FROM MILWAUKEE COPS WELL A KID FROM MARYLAND STAND TOGETHER IN UNITY.

WHEN THEY JOIN UP WITH KIDS FROM CHICAGO, HOUSTON, PARKLAND.

WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE FROM EVERY RACE WE HAVE TO BE ISOLATED FROM EACH OTHER AND AFRAID OF EACH OTHER --

YOU KNOW THERE IS A NEW AND UNSETTLING FORCE FOR CHANGE IN THIS COUNTRY.

YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO WIN.

THANK IN A WAY, I WAS WATCHING THE FILM.

IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN IN SUCH A WAY THE MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT ON CHILDREN THE WAY THAT I SAW IT PLAY OUT BETWEEN THIS GROUP OF CHILDREN.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THIS IS HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN.

IN THE CASE OF CHICAGO, LOST FRIENDS ON THE STREETS.

I DON'T THINK THAT MOST OF THE AUDIENCE UNDERSTANDS THE LEVEL OF PAIN THAT, THE TRAUMA THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH TRYING TO BE THE PUBLIC FACE.

PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE VEHEMENTLY WITH YOU AND IN SOME CASES, WANT TO DO YOU HARM.

AT THE SAME TIME YOU LOST YOUR FRIENDS.

I TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THIS.

OUR ENTIRE GENERATION IS TRAUMATIZED.

GUN VIOLENCE IN THE SHORT TERM OR CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE LONG TERM.

THAT'S WHY WE'VE SEEN A RESURGENCE IN YOUTH VOTING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.

IT IS NOT A GOOD TIME IN OUR COUNTRY WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE ARE VOTING IN MASSIVE NUMBERS.

IT MEANS THINGS HAVE GOTTEN REALLY BAD AND THEY'RE TERRIFIED FOR THEIR FUTURES.

I LOVE YOUNG PEOPLE VOTING AND I THINK IT IS GREAT.

I DON'T THINK IT IS A GOOD SIGN A LOT OF THE TIME.

ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE FAILED TO PROTECT OUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE AS A NATION.

OUR CHILDREN.

AND OUR CHILDREN THEMSELVES ARE HAVING TO MOBILIZE.

THIS IS CRAZY.

DON'T FORGET A PANDEMIC.

YEAH.

EVEN IF I HAD ZERO HOME, I STILL WON'T STOP.

THIS IN ITSELF, ACTIVISM IN ITS OWN WAY CAN BE ITS OWN FORM OF HEALING.

IF DONE IMPROPERLY, IT CAN BE A FORM OF TRAUMA IN SOME WAYS.

IT IS INCREDIBLY HELPFUL TO KNOW I'M NOT ALONE.

ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WENT ON TOUR.

WHERE WE SAW A SURGERY IN YOUTH VOTER TURNOUT.

ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK AND BROWN YOUTH.

NONE OF US WERE ALONE IN THIS.

AND OUR GENERATION HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT AND WE'LL FACE A LOT FROM HAVING TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE, GUN VIOLENCE TO RACIAL INJUSTICE.

WE HAVE SHOWN THAT WE DO KNOW HOW TO COME TOGETHER AND REALIZE THAT EVEN IF THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS US IN THE SAME WAY, WE CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER BECAUSE WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS.

WE'RE ALL AMERICANS AT THE END OF THE DAY.

SO I GUESS IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT GIVES ME HOPE, OVER THE PAST YEAR, TALKING TO OTHERS, AND I FEEL LIKE, I HOPE IT IS NOT NECESSARY.

I'M READY TO BE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL.

HOW DO YOU STAY OPTIMISTIC?

IN CHICAGO, ABCTS OF GUN VIOLENE ARE UP ALMOST 60%. HERE YOU ARE YEAR AFTER YEAR, WORKING ON THIS.

HOW DO WE GET THE MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO WORK FOR EVERY DAY OUT?

I HONESTLY, THINGS LIKE THIS, CONTINUING TO SHARE THE SPOTLIGHT.

LOCATING, TALKING ABOUT THE PIECES, THE GROUPS INSIDE YOUR COMMUNITIES, STUFF LIKE THAT.

A LOT OF COMMUNITIES INSIDE CHICAGO THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT CARE ABOUT THAT ARE DOING GOOD.

IT IS ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS I'M WITH FOCUS ON GOING TO SCHOOLS, TEACHING OTHERS TO MAKE VIOLENCE THE LAST RESOURCE, IF NOT ANY RESOURCE.

ANOTHER ONE, GOOD KIDS, MAD CITY, IS ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT I'M A PART OF.

BASICALLY, THAT GOES INSIDE THE COMMUNITY.

TRYING TO BUILD RESOURCES INSIDE THE COMMUNITY.

DEFUNDING POLICE.

TAKING THOSE FUNDS FROM POLICE AND BRINGING THEM INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF ABANDONED BUILDINGS THAT I WALK PAST DAILY.

IT'S A LOT OF TENTS THAT I SEE DAILY OF HOMELESS.

THESE BUILDINGS COULD BE SHELTERS.

THEY COULD BE WORKING.

A LOT OF THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT COULD BE CHANGED.

AND I STAY HOPEFUL AND OPTIMISTIC.

WE HAVE ALREADY OVERCOME SO MUCH.

THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE HAD CHANGE WRAPPED AROUND OUR FEET, OUR ARMS.

BUT NOW, WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO GET TO VOTE.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MY BLACK AND BROWN YOUTH.

YOUTH ALONE ARE MORE CRAZY WHEN THE BALLOTS VOTE AND EVERYTHING.

BLACK AND BROWN YOUTH, THE NUMBERS ARE SPIKED.

I LIKE THE FEELING THAT OUR VOICE MATTERS.

A LOT OF US FEEL LIKE OUR VOICE DIDN'T MATTER.

THAT OUR VOTE DIDN'T COUNT.

BUT NOW COMING UP, WE SEE THAT WE DO MATTER.

WE DO COUNT.

WE GO CREATE CHANGE.

WE'RE TALKING NOW AND PERHAPS BY THE TIME THIS AIRS LATER, WE WILL HAVE AN ELECTION RESULT.

WHEN YOU SEE THIS POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE IN, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU LOOK AT AS THE ACHIEVEMENT THAT'S YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO CAPTURE AND SAY, THIS IS FUEL THAT WILL KEEP US GOING FURTHER?

YEAH.

FIRST WE MET A WOMAN ON TOUR WHO WAS RUNNING ON STATE LEGISLATURE.

SHE DECIDED TO RUN FOR CONGRESS.

SHE WAS RUNNING BECAUSE SHE LOST SOMEONE IN THE HORRIFIC ACT OF GUN VIOLENCE.

AND SHE WON IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE DISTRICT IN GEORGIA.

HER DISTRICT, THE CONGRESSWOMAN, SHE JUST GOT REELECTED.

IT WAS $100,000 OVER THE COURSE OF A WEEK.

I WAS ABLE TO DO IT BECAUSE OF THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ONLINE THAT CHIPPED IN.

AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING THROUGH PEOPLE LIKE HER, THROUGH PEOPLE LIKE MARK KELLY WHO ARE JUST ABOUT TO GET ELECTED.

I THINK THEY WILL.

AND JOHN HICKENLOOPER AND OTHERS.

GUN VIOLENCE IS A WINNING ISSUE.

THIS IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE THAT YOU'LL LOSE OVER.

IF YOU LOSE, IT'S BECAUSE OF SOMETHING ELSE.

NOT GUN PREVENTION.

WE'VE REALLY BUILT UP A MAJOR MOVEMENT BEHIND IT.

THE OTHER THING THAT MADE ME REALLY PROUD.

WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE FUNDING.

GETTING FUNDING FOR NIH RESEARCH.

IT IS A BIG STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I THINK THE LAST TIME I COUNTED, THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE EIGHT FULL TIME RESEARCHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND THAT'S CRAZY.

FOR PEOPLE WHO DIE EVERY YEAR IN CAR CRASHES, MORE THAN THAT, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT, THE TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATION.

THEY VOTED ON THIS ISSUE.

AND I'VE PEN REALLY EXCITED TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE TURN OUT ONCE AGAIN.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE WAYS OF FOCUSING ON PREVENTION.

THEY'RE FOCUSED ON GETTING COMMUNITIES AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO STOP YOUNG PEOPLE FROM PICKING UP A GUN IN THE FIRST POLICE.

ALEX, WHAT IS ODD IS THAT IN WAYS WE'RE PUTTING THIS ON YOUR GENERATION TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT OUR GENERATION DIDN'T DEAL WITH.

WE'RE LOOKING TO YOUR GENERATION TO BRING THE COUNTRY TOGETHER AFTER WE DIVIDED IT WORSE THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN.

CAN YOU DO IT?

I FEEL LIKE WE CAN PUT IT IN A BETTER, LEAVE IT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

WE CAN LEAVE IT BETTER THAN IT IS NOW.

AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S HOW IT ALWAYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

I FEEL LIKE, WE WON'T GET 100% OF THE WORK DONE.

YOU'LL NEVER HAVE 100% OF THE WORLD ON YOUR SIDE.

THE WAY WE LEAVE IT SHOULD BE BETTER THAN THE WAY WE STARTED IT.

WHEN WE PASS IT DOWN TO THE NEXT GENERATION, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DO AS MUCH WORK AS WE HAD TO DO WEST SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO DO AS MUCH WORK BECAUSE THE GENERATION BEFORE US SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE STEPS.

TO WHERE WE, US KIDS, WE WERE 17, 18 WHEN THIS WAS GOING ON.

WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PUT ON THE BIG BOOTS, PUT ON THE PANTS.

WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THE TIME TO ENJOY OUR CHILDHOOD WEST ALWAYS TALK ABOUT GROWING UP FAST.

WE WERE PUT IN A PREDICTAMENT T GROW UP FAST.

THEN THE TABLES TURN AND WE'RE TOLD TO STAY IN OUR PLACE.

HOW CAN YOU EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE ME AS A CHILD WHEN YOU SHOW ME AS A PUBLIC FIGURE, NOTHING ABOUT ACTIVISM SAYS KID.

NOTHING.

SO TO WHERE WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.

BUT IT'S STILL, WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE WORK TO DO.

REGARDLESS OF WHO THE PRESIDENT IS.

WHO HE WILL BE IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

IT WILL STILL BE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

WE'LL DO IT.

THE NEXT GENERATION WON'T HAVE TO WORK AS HARD AS WE HAD TO.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

THE FILM IS CALLED US KIDS.

THANKS.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.