This past weekend residents from both Springfield and Union gathered together to peacefully protest gun violence at the March For Our Lives Union/Springfield Chapter. The event kicked off at Springfield Townhall. Tables were stacked with complimentary T-shirts and signs for marchers. Speakers included Mayor Alex Keiser, Commissioner Bette Jane Kowalski, and Congressman Tom Malinowski.
“What we have to do is take what we learned in the state of New Jersey and apply it to the country as a whole. For the sake of our fellow Americans living everywhere else and also for our own sakes.- It is on us, we have the power to make sure that America is no longer the only country in the world where our parents have to worry about not seeing their kids every time they drop them off at school.”
-Congressman Tom Malinowski
Springfield Schools Superintendent Rachel Goldberg introduced three student speakers from Jonathan Dayton High School; Senior Natalyah Cadiche, Junior Morgan Blair, and Junior Ben Wishna.
“What are we gonna do once we leave here? What’s gonna happen to what we’ve done here today? Once we march are we gonna be proud of ourselves that we marched and go home, and that’s it? Or are we going to urge our legislators and senators to make safe gun laws that protect us?”
-Morgan Blair
The march was a two mile walk to the Union High School football field. Residents walked together chanting and holding home-made signs. Mayor Keiser and Mayor Figueiredo carried a banner (pictured below). The march ended with speeches by Mayor Manny Figueiredo, First Assistant Prosecutor James O. Tansey, Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, and State Senator Joseph Cryan. Union Superintendent Dr. Scott Taylor introduced the two student speakers from Union High School; Victoria Magarino and Faith Cardillo.
A live stream of the opening and closing ceremonies can be seen on our Facebook page along with pictures from the event.
