Parkland and Brown: What It’s Like to Survive Two School Shootings

>> NOW ITS BEEN SIX DAYS SINCE A SHOOTING AT BROWN UNIVERSITY THAT KILLED TWO STUDENTS AND INJURED NINE OTHERS.

IT'S A TRAGEDY THAT NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO FACE EVEN ONCE YETTA LOAN TWICE.

NET MASS SHOOTINGS HAVE BECOME COMMONPLACE WHERE THERE MORE FIREARMS THAN PEOPLE.

THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 390 MASS SHOOTINGS THIS YEAR.

AS A CHILD ZOEY SURVIVED THE 2018 PARKLAND SCHOOL SHOOTING AND THEN RELIEVED THAT TRAUMA AGAIN THIS PAST WEEKEND AS SHE HID IN HER DORM ROOM AT BROWN.

SHE SPEAKS TO MICHELLE MARTIN ABOUT WHY THIS IS BECOMING A SHARED EXPERIENCE FOR FAR TO MANY YOUNG AMERICANS.

>> THANKS.

ZOEY THANK YOU FOR TALKING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> HOW YOU DOING TODAY?

>> YOU KNOW I'M DEFINITELY DOING BETTER NOW THAT I'M HOME.

IT WAS A VERY LONG WEEKEND.

I THINK THAT IT'S KIND OF SETTING IN FOR A LOT OF MY CLASSMATES IT'S SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN THROUGH BEFORE.

I DO THINK IT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO COPE WITH.

SO I MOSTLY FEEL THE ANGER RIGHT NOW.

>> IT'S SO CRAZY THAT WE ARE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WHERE YOU CAN SAY, I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE.

JUST TO REMIND THAT YOU ARE A SOPHOMORE AT BROWN BUT YOU ALSO LIVE THROUGH THE SHOOTING IN PARKLAND, FLORIDA.

WHERE 17 STUDENTS AND TEACHER WAS KILLED AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY SORT OF TRAUMATIZE.

THIS WEEKEND DO YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU WERE LIKE WHEN YOU HEARD WHAT WAS HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND AT BROWN?

>> YEAH.

I WAS IN MY DORM.

I'M VERY FORTUNATE THAT'S WHERE I WAS.

I WAS IN MY ROOM.

I WOULD SAY MY DORM IS PROBABLY LIKE A FIVE MINUTE WALK FROM WHERE THE SHOOTING HAPPENED.

I WAS THINKING OF POSSIBLY GOING TO A LIBRARY WITH IN LIKE THE NEXT HALF HOUR AND THEN I GOT A CALL FROM MY FRIEND WHO WAS IN A DORM THAT'S CLOSER TO THE HALL AND SHE ASKED ME IF I WAS IN THAT BUILDING.

THE WAY SHE SAID IT SHE SOUNDED UPSET.

MY BRAIN WENT TO A SHOOTING I SAID I'M IN MY DORM.

WHAT HAPPENED?

WAS THERE A SHOOTER SHE DIDN'T RESPOND TO ME.

I COULD TELL SHE WAS LIKE HESITATING TO SAY THE WORDS.

I WAS LIKE YOU NEED TO TELL ME BECAUSE LIKE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

SHE SAID WELL, PEOPLE JUST RAN IN HERE AND SAID THERE WAS SOMEONE SHOOTING.

AT FIRST I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.

YOU KNOW BECAUSE I THINK MY GENERATION IS PARANOID ABOUT THIS, RIGHTFULLY SO.

I WAS LIKE IT COULD BE A FALSE ALARM AND THEN I WOULD SAY A MINUTE OR TWO AFTER THAT I GOT THE TEXT AND CALL ALERT FROM THE SCHOOL AND THAT'S WHEN IT REALLY SET IN.

>> THE FACT THAT YOU SAID WHEN YOUR FRIEND FIRST CALLED YOU AND THAT'S KICKED KIND OF WHERE YOUR MIND WENT WAS THERE A SHOOTING.

WOW.

>> RIGHT.

>> THAT'S WHERE YOUR MIND FIRST WENT.

>> YEAH.

>> DOES THAT STRIKE YOU?

>> YOU KNOW I HAVE BEEN --I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE FACT THAT I DO HAVE PTSD FROM PARKLAND.

SO, LIKE, MY BRAIN WILL GO THERE FOR THING THAT IT'S NOT PROBABLE BUT AT THE SAME TIME IF YOU ARE A FRIEND AT SCHOOL CALLS YOU I THINK THAT -- UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT ENTIRELY IRRATIONAL TO ASSUME THERE'S AN ACTIVE SHOOT.

>> DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT -- WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE?

>> YEAH.

ONCE THE SCHOOL SENT OUT THE ALERT WE WERE ALL AUTOMATICALLY ON LOCKDOWN.

SO THAT JUST BASICALLY MEANT I COULDN'T LEAVE MY ROOM OR THE BUILDING.

SO FOR ME THANKFULLY THAT JUST LOOKED LIKE ME STAYING IN MY DORM.

FOR A LOT OF MY FRIENDS IN ACADEMIC BUILDING THAT MEANT HAVING TO GATHER INTO A COMMON AREA AND WAIT FOR THE POLICE TO EVACUATE THEM WHICH IS A MORE FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE.

I WAS IN MY DORM FROM THE SHOOTING HAPPENED A LITTLE AFTER 4:00 P. M. UNTIL 6:00 A. M. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN IT LIFTED.

SO, I WAS THANKFULLY I HAD FOOD, I HAD WATER, THERE WAS A BATHROOM ACROSS THE HALL THAT I JUST RAN TO ONCE OR TWICE.

YOU KNOW NOT EVERYBODY WAS AS FORTUNATE AS ME.

SO I JUST STAYED IN THERE.

I WATCHED THE NEWS.

I WAS IN COMMUNICATION WITH MY PARENTS AND MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

THEN THEY ALSO DID RECOMMEND FOR US TO BARRICADE OUR DOORS AND I KNEW BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE SHOOTING WAS ISOLATED IN ONE BUILD THAT I DIDN'T FEELIMMINENTLY IN DANGER.

I DIDN'T WANT TO REGRET NOT BARRICADING SO I DID BUT THAT WAS MORE SO FROM PRECAUTION.

>> DID YOU FEEL THAT UNIVERSITY HANDLED THIS OKAY?

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE WAY THAT THEY COMMUNICATED YOU AND ALL OF THAT?

>> YEAH.

I'M ACTUALLY PRETTY PROUD OF HOW THE UNIVERSITY RESPONDED.

THERE'S OBVIOUS SO MUCH THE UNIVERSITY CAN DO TO PREPARE WHEN WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE GUN VIOLENCE IS SO PREVALENT.

I HAVE ALWAYS FELT SAFE AT THE SCHOOL THAT WAS SOMETHING I THOUGH ABOUT WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT COLLEGES BECAUSE OF MY HISTORY AND SO I DO THINK THAT THE SCHOOL HAS A GOOD BALANCE OF HAVING SECURITY WITHOUT MAKING US FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN A PRISON THE ONE THING I THINK THAT THEY ARE GOING TO IMPROVE ON IS ADDING MORE CAMERAS.

IT'S ONE OF THE OLDER BUILDINGS AND THE ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTER BUILT ON TO THE BUILDING NEWER THAT AREA OF THE BUILDING HAS CAMERAS BUT THE MAIN BUILDING DOESN'T WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW.

I KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO FIX THAT.

I HAVE ALWAYS FELT SAFE AT THE SCHOOL.

I ALSO THINK THE RESPONSE WAS REALLY GOOD FROM THE SCHOOL PROVIDING US RESOURCES.

I THINK THERE WAS CONFUSION IN REGARDS TO THE POLICE RESPONSE ON CAMPUS.

THAT'S MORE SO BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS HAVING TO COMMUNICATE WAIT WITH EACH OTHER BEING THE ADMINISTRATION, THE BROWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE PROVIDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THE FBI AND SO I THINK THERE'S WAR A LOT OF THE CONFUSION CAME FROM.

>> AGAIN, I'M LISTENING TO AND YOU ARE SAYING WHEN YOU WERE DOING YOUR COLLEGE TOUR DECIDING WHERE TO GO TO SCHOOL SECURITY WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU LOOKED AT AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU I JUST DON'T THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD DO THAT.

I'M NOT SURE.

>> NOR SHOULD THEY.

>> HOW DO YOU THINK LIVING THROUGH PARKLAND.

WERE YOU 12.

HOW DO YOU THINK THAT AFFECTED, YOU KNOW WHO ARE YOU ARE NOW AND HOW YOU SEE THINGS?

>> SO, I WAS IN A POSITION AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE I GOT STUCK OUTSIDE.

I WAS EXPOSED TO THE GUN SHOTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I WAS ONE OF THE FEW MIDDLE SCHOOLER THAT HAD ONE OF THOSE MORE DIRECT EXPERIENCES BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO GET INSIDE.

SO AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE I DID DEVELOP PTSD FROM IT AS I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN PARKLAND DID, EVEN PEOPLE WHO WERE INSIDE MY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I I'M VERY HYPER AWARE.

KIND OF ALMOST PARANOID OF MY SURROUNDINGS.

ALWAYS PREPARING FOR THINGS BUT I HAVE GOTTEN TO A PLACE OVER THE PAST SEVEN, ALMOST EIGHT YEARS WHERE I'M ABLE TO STILL, YOU KNOW, LIVE MY LIFE AND ENJOY MYSELF PUT THAT IN THE BACKGROUND OF MY HEAD SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS CONSUMING MY EVERY DAY LIFE.

>> WHEN YOU WENT TO COLLEGE DID YOU THINK TO YOURSELF, THAT'S --YOU DID --AS YOU JUST SAID YOU THOUGHT OF WHAT'S THE SECURITY PLAN?

DOES THIS PLACE FEEL SAFE?

HOW WOULD I --WHERE WOULD I GO?

YOU WENT THROUGH THAT MENTAL PROCESS IN YOUR MIND.

DID YOU HONESTLY THINK YOU WOULD LIVE THROUGH THIS AGAIN?

>> YEAH.

I THINK THAT FOR THE MOST PART I DID NOT THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD EXPERIENCE AGAIN.

I THOUGHT THAT I --I HAD BEEN THROUGH IT BEFORE AND THAT ALMOST GAVE ME A SENSE OF PROTECTION FROM IT HAPPENING AGAIN.

THE SAME TIME I KNEW THAT WAS MORE SO LIKE SOMETHING I WAS TELLING MYSELF TO KEEP MYSELF CALM BECAUSE I HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH MASS SHOOTINGS.

I KNOW FRIENDS AT THE OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND MICHIGAN AND THEN WENT TO MICHIGAN STATE WHERE THERE WAS A MASS SHOOTING THERE.

I HAVE FRIEND FROM PARKLAND WHO GO TO FLORIDA STATE WHICH IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST SCHOOLS IN THE STATE WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM MY TOWN GO AND THERE WAS A MASS SHOOTING THERE AS WELL.

EVEN SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF YOU STILL BELIEVE THAT IT CAN'T HAPPEN TO ME UNTIL IT DOES.

>> YOU GOT INVOLVED WITH -- GUN SAFETY AFTER PARKLAND AND A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE DID.

THERE WERE --YOU KNOW HUGE DEMONSTRATIONS.

DO YOU THINK IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE?

>> YEAH.

I THINK THAT SO --I WAS AND STILL AM A PART OF MARCH FOR LIVES WHICH IS THE MOVEMENT THAT CAME OUT OF THE SHOOTING IN PARKLAND AND I THINK THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF RED FLAG LAW THAT GOT PASSED AFTER WE STARTED SPEAKING UP ABOUT THINGS.

POLICY WISE AND THEN WE ARE WERE BIG PART OF THE BIPARTISAN BILL THAT WAS PASSED IN 2022.

I THINK ON A CULTURAL LEVEL WE HAD MORE IMPACT IN THE SENSE WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST STUDENT LED MOVEMENTS TO REALLY ADVOCATE FOR AN ISSUE THAT WAS IMPACTING THE GENERATION IN A UNIQUE WAY AND WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE FOREFRONT, I THIS I FOR THE POST FEW DECADES.

IT'S BECOME AN ACCEPTED FACET AND I THINK THE MOVEMENT AFTER PARKLAND BROUGHT BACK THIS IDEA THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT AS THE NORMAL THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I KIND OF WANT TO RESTART AFTER THIS THE TIMING IS A LITTLE UNIQUE BECAUSE WE WERE ABOUT TO GO ON WINTER BREAK.

NOW IT JUST STARTED EARLY.

IT'S MY GOAL TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM ABLE TO USE THIS MOMENT TO ADVOCATE FOR MY COMMUNITY SO THAT NO ONE HAS TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN AND I DON'T HAVE TO SHARE THIS WITH MORE PEOPLE.

>> DO YOU THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DEGREE TO WHICH EXPOSURE TO GUN VIOLENCE IS A FEATURE OF YOUR YOUTH?

DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE GET HOW MUCH OF A GENERATION ALT ISSUE IS THIS?

>> YEAH I DO UNDERSTAND THAT TO AN EXTENT IF YOU AREN'T IN MY GENERATION IT CAN BE HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT HAS HAD ON IT.

I'M THE SAME AGE AS A LOT OF THE KID WHOSE WERE KILLED IN THE SANDY HOOK SHOOTING.

I WAS IN FIRST GRADE WHEN THAT HAPPENED.

I REMEMBER MY SCHOOL PRACTICING LOCKDOWN DRILLS IN THE AFTERMATH OF THAT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN SO ENGRAIN, D INTO OUR YOUTH AND CHILDHOOD THAT IS HARD FOR PEOPLE --IT IS A RELATIVELY NEW THING IN THE SENSE THAT ITS BEEN A MAIN ISSUE FOR THE PAST FEW DECADES.

THE SAME TIME I FEEL LIKE I HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO REALLY DEMONSTRATE JUST HOW MUCH GUN VIOLENCE CAN HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT IN COMMUNITIES.

OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHEN PEOPLE HAVE KILLED PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE JOIN IRED.

FOR EXAMPLE MY COMMUNITY OF PARKLAND.

MOST PEOPLE WEREN'T SHOT OR KILLED.

YET THIS IS STILL SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS MY COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.

I GO INTO RESTAURANTS AND I SEE SIGNS ABOUT THE SHOOTING.

YOU KNOW ITS SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS ON THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MIND MINDS AND THAT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THROUGH IT.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU AREL FOG ANY OF THE --DETAILS AROUND THE INVESTIGATION SO FORTH.

AUTHORITIES --THE FBI FIRST SAID THERE WAS SOMEONE IN CUSTODY.

THERE WAS BRIEFLY BUT A PERSON OF INTEREST BUT THIS PERSON HAS BEEN RELEASED BECAUSE THEY ARE CONVINCED THIS PERSON IS NOT THE POSSIBLE PARTY.

I JUST WONDER IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW THIS INVESTIGATION IS PROCEEDING.

>> YEAH.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A --LIKE A --I'M NOT A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

I DIDN'T SPEAK TO THE INVESTIGATION.

I WILL SAY THAT I DO THINK THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION BREAK DOWN BETWEEN THE AUTHORITIES AND THE BROWN COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS THEMSELVES.

I THINK THAT THE CONFUSION AROUND THE PERSON OF INTEREST AND THE FACT THAT'S FBI RELEASED THAT INFORMATION WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT CAUSED A LOT OF CHAOS AND CONFUSION ON CAMPUS.

I WAS STILL IN THE RHODE ISLAND AREA WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THE PERSON OF INTEREST WAS RELEASED.

I WAS OFF CAMPUS.

LOT OF MY FRIENDS THAT CAUSE SOD MUCH PARANOIA.

THERE WERE FALSE REPORTS OF SHOTS FIRED DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE.

THERE'S BEEN A COMMUNICATION BREAK DOWN BETWEEN LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS AND STUDENTS IN THE BROADER PROVIDENCE COMMUNITY.

AT THE SAME TIME IT'S OBVIOUS THAT WHOEVER THIS SUSPECT IS PREPARED WELL AHEAD OF TIME.

THEY CLEARLY KNEW THE AREA.

THEY KNEW THE FACT THAT IT'S BUILDING IS ON THE EDGE OF CAMPUS AND EXITS IN TO A RESIDENTIAL AREA WITH NOT MUCH PUBLIC BUILDINGS OR CAMERAS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST ENTIRELY HOUSES.

THEY WERE EVEN CASING THE AREA HOURS BEFORE.

IT'S VERY OBVIOUS THIS PERSON KNEW THE AREA WELL AND PREPARED WELL.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE INVESTIGATION MIGHT TAKE LONGER THAN WE WANT AND HE WITH MAY NOT BE ABLE TO KNOW ALL OF THE INFORMATION BUT THE SAME TIME I DO THINK THAT OUR COMMUNITY DID DESERVE MORE INFORMATION AND MORE ACCURATE INFORMATION THAN WE WERE GIVEN.

>> NOW HERE IS THE BIG QUESTION.

WHY DO YOU THINK THIS KEEPS HAPPENING?

>> I THINK THE ONLY COMMON THING THAT WE ARE SEEING ACROSS ALL OF THESE ACTS OF GUN VIOLENCE IS ACCESS TO GUNS.

WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHERE GUNS OUT NUMBER PEOPLE.

THERE'S MORE GUNS IN CIRCULATION IN AMERICA THAN THERE ARE AMERICANS.

THAT MEANS OVER 300 MILLION GUNS IN THIS COUNTRY.

BECAUSE OF HOW LSX FEDERAL REGULATIONS ARE EVEN IN STATES WITH RHODE ISLAND THAT HAVE AMAZING GUN LAWS THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH STATE CAN DO TO PROTECT AGAINST HOW RELAXED THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS AROUND GUNS.

PEOPLE CAN CROUSE CROUSE STATE LINES.

THEY ARE --PRIVATE SALES AREN'T REGULATED.

THERE'S GHOST GUNS.

WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC SHOOTING YOU WILL I BY THAT THE ONLY COMMON THING THAT WE ARE SEEING ACROSS ALL THE ACTS MOTIVATIONS MAY BE DIFFERENT, WHETHER THAT BE SUICIDE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, EVERY DAY GUN VIOLENCE OR MASS SHOOTINGS, THOSE IDEAS ARE DIFFERENT, MOTIVATIONS DIFFERENT.

THE PEOPLE ARE WILDLY DIFFERENT BUT THE ONE THING THEY HAVE IN COMMON IS PEOPLE HAVING ACCESS TO GUN WHEN IS THEY SHOULDN'T.

SO I THINK THAT THE ISSUE COMES DOWN TO NEEDING TO PASS FEDERAL GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION LAWS.

>> I'M CURIOUS GIVEN ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DID OVER THE YEARS WITH AROUND --DO YOU HAVE A THEORY ABOUT WHY IT IS THAT WE ARE WILLING TO TOLERATE THIS LEVEL OF GUN VIOLENCE?

>> I THINK THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST THE FACT THAT WE HAVE GUN RIGHTS IN THE COUNTRY'S CONSTITUTION IS SOMETHING WE DON'T SEE IN OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND IS SOMETHING THAT THE UNDERSTANDING HAS LED TO THE FREE FLOW OF GUNS IN THIS COUNTRY.

I THINK THAT THE SECOND AMENDMENT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AS A MEANS OF DEFENDING AGAINST A TYRANNICAL GOVERNMENT IN THE FORM OF MILITISA NOT NECESSARILY FOR EVERY DAY AMERICANS TO HAVE A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION THAT DIDN'T EXIST 300 YEARS AGO.

AT THE SAME TIME REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU THEIRS IT'S WE ARE ONE OF THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT HAVE THAT RIGHT IN THE CONSTITUTION AND I THINK THAT'S LED TO THIS CULTURE WHERE GUNS KIND OF ALMOST WORSHIPED IN A SENSE.

WHERE GUNS ARE SEEN AS MORE VALUABLE THAN HUMAN LIVES AND THEN I ALSO THINK ON A POLITICAL LEVEL AT THE END OF THE DAY IT COMES DOWN TO CORPORATE GREED AND MONEY WE SEE GUN LOBBYING GROUPS HAVE LINE THE POCKETS OF POLITICIAN WAS BLOOD MONEY THEY SPEND TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR TO ENSURE THAT THEIR BOTTOM LINE, THE BOTTOM LINE OF GUNMAN FACTORS STAYS THE SAME.

YOU SEE THE POLITICIANS PRIORITIZING MONEY OVER PEOPLE AND PEOPLE KIND OF HAVING THIS REALLY WARPED UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GUNS IN THE COUNTRY.

SOMETHING WE DON'T REALLY SEE IN OTHER NATIONS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THIS RIGHT IN THEIR CONSTITUTION.

>> DO YOU EVER SEE THIS CHANGING TO THE POINT WHERE WHEN YOU TAKE --I DON'T KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO HAVE KIDS BUT IF YOU TAKE YOUR DAUGHTER ON HER COLLEGE TORE ARE FOR YOU WON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT A SECURITY PLAN?

DO YOU SEE THIS CHANGE?

>> YEAH.

I DO WANT TO HAVE KIDS.

I HAVE A YOUNGER SISTER WHO WILL GO TO COLLEGE NEXT YEAR.

SO THAT SOMETHING I THINK ABOUT.

YOU KNOW IT'S REALLY EASY TO GET VERY HOPELESS AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE FACT THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR SEVEN YEARS AND I HAVE SEEN LITTLE TO NO PROGRESS.

THE FACT THAT WHEN I SPEAK OUT IN TIMES LIKE THIS INSTEAD OF --I GET A LOT OF SUPPORT BUT I GET A LOT OF HATE AND ALSO -- FOR THINGS I CAN'T ROLL.

THE FACT I'M A QUEER PERSON AND JEWISH.

THEN I THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SENT ME SO MANY SUPPORTIVE MESSAGES AND THE REAL CHANGES PEOPLE IN MY GENERATION ARE ABLE TO SECURE POSITIONS OF POWER.

WE SEE PEOPLE LIKE MAX FROST.

SHE IS AN AMAZING EXAMPLE OF HOW MY GENERATION WILL SHAPE THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN THIS COUNTRY.

I THINK UNTIL THIS COUNTRY REALIZES THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE THE GROUP THAT'S REALLY HAVING A SAY SOON, I THINK THAT WILL BE THE POINT WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO TURN THE TIDN REGARDS TO GUN VIOLENCE.

>> ARE YOU PLANNING TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL?

>> I AM.

YOU KNOW --I FEEL SAFE AT BROWN.

I THINK PART IS THAT MY DEFINITION OF SAFETY HAS BEEN FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT THAN OTHER PEOPLE FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

I'M AT A BASELINE OF HYPE AWARENESS.

BROWN IS A HAPPY AND WARM AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.

ESPECIALLY IN THE WORLD OF IVY LEAGUE INSTITUTIONS.

I HAVE NEVER FELT THAT AT BROWN.

I THINK --I'M ALREADY EXCITED TO GO BACK AFTER BREAK AND TAKE MY CLASSES AND BE WITH MY COMMUNITY TO MOURN TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE REAL IMPACTS.

ANOTHER GREAT THING IS WE ARE POLITICAL ACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES AND SO I THINK THAT --THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BRING US TOGETHER AND MOTIVATE US TO CREATE CHANGE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING TO US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

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