I Know the Exact Day I Realized Gun Violence Was An Issue in the United States

I know the exact day I realized that gun violence was an issue in the United States: Valentine’s Day, 2018.

At the time, I was a freshman high school student in Broward County, Florida—the same county where Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is located. On February 14, 2018, 17 people were shot and killed and 17 others were wounded at that school. Many of them were freshman students, just like me.

The athletic director, football coach, science teacher, and 14 students killed that day should still be here. The 17 students who were wounded by the bullets, and the countless others who were impacted by the shooting that day, should never have experienced such a tragedy. And in the wake of that horrific shooting, I knew I had to do my part to work toward a safer future for students like me.

As I sought a way to advocate for gun violence prevention, I found Students Demand Action and the Everytown network. And it is through Students Demand Action that I realized that I, too, am a survivor of gun violence. I am thankful that I have never personally had a gun pointed at me. But as a Black woman and a Broward County resident, the impact that gun violence has had on my community has undoubtedly shaped my life. 

Mass shootings often receive extensive media coverage and public attention. Their devastating nature and the number of people who are impacted make that understandable. However, it is crucial to recognize that these incidents represent only a small fraction of the total gun violence problem in the United States. And no matter what form it takes, gun violence leaves indelible marks on children, young people, adults, and communities.

Black communities are disproportionately impacted by gun violence. The underinvestment in our communities has created areas of concentrated disadvantages, housing instability, and poverty. The public health crisis of gun violence exacerbates these impacts. Black children and teens are nearly 6 times more likely to die by guns—and more than 18 times more likely to die by gun homicide—than white children and teens of the same age.

The effects gun violence has on my community, and how it shapes the lives of children across the United States, are tragic and inexcusable. That’s why I am determined to use my voice as a survivor and a trailblazer in this fight against gun violence. And in this work, I look to the Black survivors and leaders who have come before me. Our voices have been hushed throughout history. We have fought, time and time again, to be heard in our pursuit of justice. And both during and beyond Black History Month, it is only right to continue the legacy won by our ancestors and previous generations.

“In my extracurriculars, on my campus, and in my community, I am reminded every day that Black students and youth are transformational. History proves it. My classmates prove it. And I prove it, too.”

—Iyanah Forbes, chartering President of the FAMU chapter of Students Demand Action

Today, I am proud to be a full-time senior at Florida A&M University (FAMU), a historically Black college and university (HBCU) that has been championing Black excellence for over 130 years. I don’t take the privilege of higher education lightly, and I am committed to incorporating advocacy into everything I do. In addition to my studies, I am the Social Justice Subcommittee Lead for the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Committee on Young Adult and Collegiate Affairs. I am also President of the FAMU Chapter of the NCNW and of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. I have also had the pleasure of serving as the chartering President of Students Demand Action here at FAMU.

In my extracurriculars, on my campus, and in my community, I am reminded every day that Black students and youth are transformational. History proves it. My classmates prove it. And I prove it, too. 

As a Students Demand Action leader and FAMU student, I am proud to be adding my name to the list of trailblazers leading the fight against gun violence. And I will honor the legacy of all who have come before me as we continue to lead the way toward a better future for young people in America.

Learn more

• Learn more about Students Demand Action.
• Learn more about the Everytown Survivor Network.
• Learn more about Black History Month.