Statement from Shorewood student protest organizer

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Jose Luis Gandara, Shorewood student organizer of the Friday Inauguration Student Protest, released this statement:

I think that the protest served its purpose. We attracted 150+ students and a good amount of media attention, which allowed us to make sure that the people of Seattle and Shoreline knew how the students of our schools felt.

However, we're a long way from accomplishing what we want.

No justice movement ever happened in a day - and so we understand that no single walkout or event will result in any widespread change. However, we seek to communicate to our cities and our schools that hate and injustice will not be normalized over the next 4 years.

The worst thing that can happen is that people go back to a mindset of complacency and "it is what it is."

Though we can't directly change what our president and legislators will do, we can work to ensure that even on the most local and personal of levels, we continue to preserve our ideas of what is right and just.