South LA Teens Return From DC March Against Gun Violence
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — About a dozen students from South LA came home more determined than ever to see change in their community.
As CBSLA's Cristy Fajardo reports, the teens touched down at LAX Sunday night but were still feeling the energy from participating in the March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C.
17-year-old Edna Chavez made national headlines speaking on the stage. Other teens from the Community Coalition were also there.
Related: Local Teen Who Lost Brother To Gun Violence Speaks At DC March
The teens who traveled with Chavez say they watched proudly as she launched South LA into the national discourse. Chavez gave a tearful speech about her 14-year old brother Ricardo's shooting death. The crowd's reaction to her story showed like so many other teens she's bound to the students from Parkland because their pain is the same.
"This has empowered me a lot. It has empowered a lot of us here. We're just ready for whatever is next and let's just keep on pushing," said Chavez.
"When we talk about gun violence, let's not only talk about mass shootings," said Fernando Mosqueda. "We need to talk about the day-to-day shootings. The families that are affected and the families that are not talked about with this impact."
The students say in South LA the gun laws alone will not solve the problem of gun violence so they also plan to push for better access to mental health treatment as well as paid internships and more job opportunities.