On February 14, my life changed forever.

I was in Room 1214 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School studying Holocaust History when bullets started flying. The shooter killed Nicholas Dworet, the hero that saved my life, and Helena Ramsay who was in my class as well, along with 15 other classmates and staff members.

No student should have to cover themselves with a dead classmate’s body to survive, but I was that student. On March 24, along with 800,000 other people, I marched in Washington, DC. I marched for Nicholas and our fallen MSD Eagles, as well as urban communities and other places that have been affected by gun violence.

What I saw in Washington was amazing. I got to meet with other students from all over the country who care about this issue and who care about making a difference. Hearing other teens talk about how it’s common to hear gunshots on their way to school made me realize that this is part of a larger fight.

I am a survivor of gun violence, but 17 of my classmates and teachers are not, as well as my uncle who was shot 15 years ago. My life has been changed forever, just like the lives of over 3,000 students and staff members at Stoneman Douglas. I’m here today thanks to Nicholas, and I am going to make my voice heard until things change.

We are fed up. We are tired, but we aren’t exhausted. We will keep fighting and we will keep marching until we get the change we deserve.