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Viewpoint

were unable to attend an in-person
march were able to attend the virtual,
nonpartisan march.
With more than 127 educators
registered, an inclusive and diverse
crowd gathered on Zoom as the authors
hosted the March for Our Lives on
Saturday, June 11, 2022. March For Our
Lives as a concept was first organized by
students in March 2018 with a massive
action in Washington, DC, in response
to that year’s mass shooting at Marjory
Stoneman Douglas High School in
Parkland, Florida. Information about the 2022 Washington march and scores of Original March for
support events across the country may be found at https://marchforourlives.com. Our Lives protest
of school shootings
Attendees gathered from nine time zones and from five countries, coming was organized by
together to speak out and propose solutions to the mass shootings occurring in students.
schools. Participants put partisan politics aside to come together to determine
solutions to which everyone might agree. Interested readers can access and view
the recorded march by going to the YouTube channel of "Delta Kappa Gamma,
Illinois, Key Women Educators" found at https://youtu.be/iiaVZrIdMso.

The Virtual March Messages
Eleven speakers—ten of whom
were DKG members and all of whom
were active, experienced, and retired
teachers—delivered messages about
ways to stop the violence, stories
about their classroom experiences and
teaching with fear, and calls to action
for all participants. These included
Dr. Karen Gross, Pat Neal, and Sakina
McGruder (District of Columbia State
Organization); Dr. Vinni Hall and
Lisa Caputo Love (Illinois State Organization); Ana Isabel Quesada (Costa Rica
State Organization); Cyndy Moore (Alberta State Organization); Linda McCrary
(Tennessee State Organization); Dr. Vivian Posey and Nancy Bentz (Florida State
Organization); and Vicky Suarez, educator from Texas.
Opening speaker Gross set the stage: “All of this is traumatizing, but ... I have
hope. Our children need to see that hope in us. We march to message. We march
to see that we are not alone. We march to show our children that we are taking a
stand. Our marching—whether virtually or in reality—is one crucial first step.”
Ana Isabel Quesada Baudrit brought remarks from Costa Rica: “We (Costa
Rica members) are grateful for your invitation to be part of this important march
for life and peace, to join hands with you in solidarity and hope, and to raise our
voices asking for more security for citizens, as we reflect and exchange ideas in
search of effective solutions to prevent similar tragedies in the future.”

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