John,

Today is a day that is supposed to be filled with love in every form and fashion. But three years ago, it became a day that is filled with immense pain for families in Parkland.

I know the trauma and grief my fellow survivors feel today, and I hold them in my heart.

Three years ago, we lost 17 precious lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School — making it the deadliest high school shooting in our country’s history. That there is even more than one shooting on a list like that is horrific.

This was the moment that I realized I had to run for Congress. I said enough to our elected leaders’ inaction. Our movement to end gun violence needed to grow our ranks within the halls of power, and I realized that I could not wait for someone else to raise their hand while more innocent lives were taken far too early.

And as I prepared to run, the young people in Parkland pushed and inspired me to overcome the obstacles we faced along the way. They organized March For Our Lives — one of the largest protests in American history.

Our movement grew, and we started to win. Defeating the gun lobby at the ballot box and moving legislation through state chambers across the nation, and when I won my race for Congress, I made sure we got action in Congress.

And that work is not done. We took the first steps, but we know there is so much more work ahead of us. So I wake up and fight every single day to enact common-sense gun safety laws for all of the lives lost and everyone in danger of gun violence.

For Jordan, for Parkland, for Sandy Hook, for every child who has ever had to worry about gun violence at school or elsewhere, I continue this fight. Our movement is stronger than we’ve ever been, and we will not rest until we fix the broken laws that have failed too many of our children.

Onward,
Lucy