Me (center), my sister (left, with the turquoise afro) and two of our friends at the demonstration.
This is my first article in a very, very long time due to a busy school schedule. I’ve joined my school’s newspaper, social justice club and Latin club (of which I am the vice president) and I’m a section leader in my school band.
However, one program I’ve joined outside of school has changed my life- a program called TASH, or Teen Advocates for Sexual Health. TASH is a program based at Planned Parenthood for teens in the St. Louis area in which we promote better sex ed, reproductive justice and so much more. As many of you know, October 9th was the second presidential debate here in St. Louis, at Washington University. I’m not entirely sure if it got any news coverage, but there was a huge demonstration outside of Wash. U, and Planned Parenthood was a part of that rally. Along with us, there were many protesters from other causes, like #Fightfor15, #NoTPP, #NoDapl, #BlackLivesMatter, #DescheduleCannabis and #FreePalestine. Initially, I was nervous as hell. I’m only 15, and this was my first time ever being in an organized political protest. I actually brought a stress ball with me, and my thumb was on my pepper spray nearly the entire time. There were so many people shouting so many different things it made my head spin.
It took about half an hour for all my inhibitions to leave me, and once they did, I had a blast. It was easily the best part of my year so far. Everybody was so nice and kind, including the anarchists that decided to show up. We were all from different backgrounds and had different points of view, but we all marched as one big block of people, each wanting change. There was one chant I remember everyone screaming at the top of our lungs- “The people united will never be divided.” That’s what we were- united. At that rally, I felt at home, even with the somewhat large police presence.
It was exhilarating. The most empowering part of the whole shebang was the wide range of age groups. There were elementary school-age kids holding signs that said “Black Lives Matter,” and there were old ladies walking with canes with buttons that said “NoDAPL” and “NoTPP.” As I looked around that night, I realized that the word ‘activist’ has no age limit, and it never will. I saw activists younger than me, and I saw activists much older than me. There were activists of so many different colors and cultures as well- White, African-American, African, Latinx, Hispanic, Chicanx, Native American, Muslim, Asian and many more. Everybody was represented, it was like a rainbow of faces.
I wrote about this to encourage you to throw yourself out of your comfort zone and into any rallies or protests that fit the cause you support. It’s nothing short of amazing, I assure you.
Bring a bag though- I didn’t have anything to eat or drink until after the march, and I was famished.
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