Dozens of kids marched down Market Street to protest gun violence Sunday afternoon, carrying signs that read “Don’t shoot, I want to grow up” and “No one is target practice.” They were accompanied by drill teams, drum lines, and representatives from youth services groups. After circling City Hall, the group gathered on Thomas Paine Plaza, where young people delivered speeches and recited poems.
“I’m 17 years old. I’ve been a victim of gun violence for 17 years,” said Ryshee Shaw, a student at Samuel Fels High School who has an impressive track record of youth advocacy. “I was just 22 days, 15 hours, and 37 minutes [old] when my life changed drastically. I lost my father to gun violence. Growing up, I listened to the cries of a heartbroken mother and a traumatized wife.”