The influential young people gun reform organization March For Our Lives has made its first-ever presidential endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris.
March For Our Lives released a statement:
March For Our Lives is pleased to endorse Kamala Harris for President of the United States. This is the first endorsement we’ve ever made, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. As one of the largest youth-led movements in the nation, we are clear-eyed about the challenge ahead and we believe that Kamala Harris is uniquely suited to meet this moment.
The country that young people will soon inherit stands at the precipice—on one side, authoritarianism that threatens our fundamental rights, including our right to live freely without fear of gun violence; on the other, a world where we can keep fighting to build the future that young people know we deserve. We need an ardent defender of democracy, a gun violence prevention champion, and a leader who will listen to young people, give us a seat at the table, and fight for our future. We believe that Kamala Harris is that candidate, and the right person to stand up for us and fight for the country we deserve.
Young people are inheriting an increasingly precarious world as gun violence remains the leading cause of death for young people for the third year in a row, the war in Gaza continues to rage on, the climate crisis escalates, and far-right politicians are pushing one of the most extremist agendas in our country’s history. We have been struggling to feel excited about voting in this election, and are increasingly pessimistic that change is possible. But we know that another Trump Presidency is simply not an option that young people can afford—our lives are literally at stake. Kamala Harris’ task is a tall one—to run a campaign that boldly paints a future that we can believe in. We call on her to run a campaign that fights for the policy solutions that young people want, like an assault weapons ban, action on climate change, a vigorous defense of abortion, court reform, and an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza. Young people are savvy voters, who will see through empty promises and cynical horsetrading. We believe that Kamala will step above that and fight for a bold, progressive future—and we will hold her accountable to that.
Throughout her time in DC, first as a Senator and then as Vice President, she has been a forceful champion for gun safety and for young people. At the 2020 Presidential Gun Safety Forum we hosted with our friends at Giffords, Vice President Harris outlined a bold plan to tackle gun violence from every angle—demanding action from Congress, and using the power of the presidency to fight for our lives. Since becoming Vice President, she has met regularly with advocates and survivors of gun violence, and we’ve had the pleasure of working with her as she’s led the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Importantly, Vice President Harris has put gun violence survivors at the center of policymaking, demonstrating her commitment to empowering those most impacted by the issue to implement the right solutions. As she begins her campaign for president, we look forward to working with her to develop a comprehensive plan to combat gun violence, focused on a holistic and preventive approach.
The nation is witnessing the large and successful Democratic coalition coming together to mobilize behind Vice President Harris. If all of these allies stand together, they are bigger and more powerful than Trump and MAGA.
The majority of America is letting it be known that they don’t want Project 2025. They don’t want an authoritarian regime with a rapist convicted felon in charge. The tyranny of the minority that Trump is attempting to implement by overthrowing democracy is facing rejection.
Young people understand this moment, and now they have a candidate that they feel excited about and a future that they can believe in.
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Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
