An 11-year-old girl delivered a powerful message about gun violence at the March for Our Lives rally Saturday in the nation's capital.
Naomi Wadler, a fifth-grader at George Mason Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia, focused her speech on the gun violence that African-American women face, and how often their stories go untold.
"I am here today to acknowledge and represent the African-American girls whose stories don't make the front page of every national newspaper, whose stories don't lead the evening news," Wadler told the crowd.
"For far too long these names, these black girls and women have been just numbers. I'm here to say 'never again' for those girls, too," Wadler said.
Wadler rejected the notion that she was too young to understand the issue. "People have said that I am too young to have these thoughts on my own. People have said that I am a tool of some nameless adult. It's not true," Wadler said.
"We know life isn't equal for everyone and we know what is right and wrong," Wadler said.
Her speech quickly began trending on Twitter.
Naomi Wadler, I’m raising my hand 🙋🏾♀️ as the first volunteer for your presidential run! Shine young queen shine 👑🖤✨
— Swin Cash (@SwinCash) March 24, 2018
Wadler also helped organize a walkout at her school to protest gun violence on March 14, the Fairfax County Times reported.
Brilliant 11-year-old Naomi Wadler is doing more to address gun violence and systemic racism than most adults pic.twitter.com/ifntel7xt5
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 22, 2018
About the Author