Madeline johnson

Hello everyone, my name is Madeline Johnson, and I’m from Oxford Michigan. Last year, a mass shooting took place at my high school when I was a senior. I was walking down the hallway with my best friend Madiysn when the shooting started. We were separated, and she was killed. I am very lucky to be alive, considering how close I was to the gunman. Through my grief, I found activism to be extremely helpful for my healing. I joined a student-led initiative in my hometown called No Future Without Today, and I became the Vice president. It’s been a year since the tragedy at my school, and during that time I’ve been a major advocate for change. I’ve spoken at several marches and protests. I’ve been spending time here in DC, meeting with powerful politicians and recruiting them to enact change. I even had a meeting with Ambassador Susan Rice regarding gun law reform. I have spent a year working hard, but there is still a lot to do. In the near future, I plan to advocate for common sense gun legislation, both federally and in Michigan. Above all, I plan to continue sharing my story with the world in order to bring awareness to the impacts of gun violence. I cannot change what happened at my school, but I can and will prevent others from losing a loved one the way I did. Today, we will mourn and honor those we lost. Tomorrow, we will continue the fight. Thank you for standing with me.