By Michael Beaumont

On April 20th, 2018, the anniversary of the Columbine tragedy, The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush High School participated alongside thousands of other schools in a second walkout in Center City to stand up against and peacefully protest gun violence. Before Rush students left to join it, Alanis Schwarzler, Erinda Sheno, Ambria Hartie, Shi’aija Mitchell, and Nia Foreman led an open panel discussion in front of our school building to let students express how they were feeling since the last walkout. Students from varying backgrounds, majors and ages shared opinions and past experiences with gun violence, getting deep into their emotions while they showed how the increasing rates of gun violence have impacted their lives.

What set this second walkout apart from the previous one was that students from all around the city decided to make this protest even more public by leaving school at 11 AM and traveling to Center City to congregate and align themselves with non-student supporters who were protesting in front of City Hall.