In the five years since we marched in 2018, we’ve proved time and time again that young people are a force to be reckoned with. Over 250 gun safety laws have been passed since March For Our Lives [MFOL] was founded, billions of dollars have been committed to lifesaving programs, and youth voters turned out at record numbers in the last three elections, in no small part because young people were moved by MFOL to take action and see themselves as part of the civic process.

In the last two years, we’ve doubled down on our efforts and MFOL has become the leading voice for youth activism in the nation. We’ve deepened our work at the grassroots level with mutual aid efforts; filed Amicus Briefs to bring youth perspectives to Appellate Courts and the Supreme Court; took to the streets to fight for, and win, the first significant piece of federal gun safety legislation in three decades; and engaged young voters in the midterm election to once again deliver historic youth turnout, delivering the margin of victory in key states across the country. And we’re just getting started.

As we enter 2023 with new challenges at the federal level and opportunities at the state level, and with an eye towards a challenging 2024 electoral map, we remain in the fight for our lives.

Even as we’ve secured transformative change that will save lives, firearms have skyrocketed to become the leading cause of death for young people for the second year in a row. We’re fighting against a century of entrenched forces, but it’s a fight we’re particularly suited for because of a simple reason—because we must. With boundless hope for the future, and with an implacable sense of urgency, young people are rising to meet this moment because no one else will. The fact is, gun violence is not normal. It’s a choice our leaders have made, and it’s a choice that we will make untenable. We’re fighting for a future where no child has to die looking down the barrel of a gun. Will you join us?