Hey John,

Sunday night, we slept on the floor of the Virginia State Capitol. 

Less than a week ago, we had big plans to honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Richmond, Virginia. Multiple gun violence prevention groups, including MFOL Virginia, were going to come together and rally outside the State Capitol to mourn and celebrate the lives of all those we have lost to gun violence. But just a few days ago, that rally had to be canceled, due to militant pro-gun groups organizing a weapon-filled counter-protest. The police said it wouldn’t even be safe for us to walk to the Capitol to lobby our legislators Monday morning. 

So we didn’t go Monday morning. We slept on the floor in the Capitol Sunday night instead.

As hundreds of civilians wearing camo, body armor, and carrying deadly weapons surrounded the Capitol yesterday, we were safe inside lobbying our legislators for gun laws that would ensure our schools, homes, and streets would be safe from gun violence. 

We met weapons with flowers. We met hate with love. And we met threats and fear tactics with peace and action. 

Join the movement that will end the gun violence epidemic, city by city and state by state. Click here to join your local March For Our Lives Chapter today.

Or, donate $20 today to support our student-led chapters as they stand up for peace.

We will never stop speaking truth to power in the face of fear and injustice. We will never back down to white supremacist-fueled threats, like those we saw in Richmond yesterday. And we will never stop advocating for peace. 

Show your support for the Virginians fighting for a safer future by tweeting #IStandWithVirginia. 

Let the world know that the kids are not moving aside, we are moving towards a brighter future every day. 

Peace will prevail.

In solidarity,
Eve Levenson,
Briana Spainhour,
& March For Our Lives Virginia