On March 24, 2018, students, parents, teachers and community members gathered at the corner of Calhoun and Sumter Streets in South Carolina's capital, Columbia, S.C. to march and advocate for gun control legislation as a part of the March For Our Lives.
The rally ended at the South Carolina State House, where student speakers and community leaders spoke passionately about the necessity for change across the state and the nation, in order for students and teachers to feel safe in their school environments. Orange flowers that spelled out "Never Again" were placed on the State House steps below student demonstrators. Each flower represented a child or teen injured or killed by gun violence this year. Voter Registration booths were supplied with volunteers who encouraged those attending the rally to register to vote, in order to create change and exercise civic responsibility in upcoming South Carolina elections.
The rally was a sister march for the March For Our Lives demonstration that took place on the same day in Washington, D.C. The demonstrations are part of a greater national movement that was formed to advocate for gun control measures in response to the numerous school shootings and acts of gun violence that have occurred across the United States. The march and the movement gained significant momentum following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people. Students from Parkland strongly articulated their emotions and needs following the shooting to state and national lawmakers, prompting discussion and response among students and teachers across the United States.
From the March For Our Lives Columbia event: "March For Our Lives believes the time is now."