Emma González Wears an Orange Jumpsuit for the National School Walkout

Alyssa Hardy
Updated
"Orange is the color for gun violence survivors."

On Friday, April 20th, which was both the anniversary of the Columbine School Shooting and the day of the second National School Walkout of the year, anti-gun violence movement leader Emma González wore an orange jumpsuit.

On Twitter, she posted two side-by-side photos of herself, one showing the front of the jumpsuit and one showing the back with "MSD" written across it. The letters stand for her high school Marjory Stoneman Douglas, where a shooter killed 17 students on February 14th. Alongside the images she wrote, "Orange is the color for gun violence survivors, and we wear it today in solidarity of one another." The organization #WearOrange was started by the family of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton who was shot and killed in Chicago. The color was chosen because it's what hunters wear to be seen.

Emma also explained why she chose to wear a jumpsuit over another orange item. "This prisoner jumpsuit was my Halloween costume 2 years ago (OITNB)," she explained. "But I wore it today because our schools are looking more like prisons and bomb shelters and less like the learning institutes our parents had the privilege of enjoying."

What she is referring to is the fact that her high school has stepped up their police presence significantly and is now requiring students to carry their id's and wear clear backpacks. For many of the black students at the school, this has led them to feel less safe, a sentiment they have since spoken out about.

As we continue the fight to end gun violence, using your voice through walkouts, social media, and even wearing orange will continue to be a hugely important part of the movement. To learn more about the National School Walkout and what you can do to help visit nationalschoolwalkout.net.

Related: The Simple Way You Can Support the National School Walkout

Check this out:

See the video.