On February 14, 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school became the focal point of the discussion of gun safety and legislation after experiencing a shooting at the hands of a fellow student Nikolas Cruz. This, in turn, inspired weeks of protest and walkouts among students all over the United States, producing a more conscious generation of gun safety advocacy, including Joshua Erched, a self-described "gun safety, and mental health awareness advocate".
Erched, a rising junior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida recently joined Students on Safety (S.O.S) where he currently presides as its national director of finance and administration.
You mentioned that you are now a member of gun safety advocacy group Students on Safety (S.O.S.) When was this group founded?
This group was founded this year. It is an official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
What are the priorities and goals of the group?
The priorities of this group are stated in our mission: We strive to remedy the underlying issues that can lead to gun violence on school campuses, which are often ignored amid political debate. We also hope to promote the general welfare of students and create an atmosphere where students can feel safe, supported, and understood.
In your experience regarding the trauma students had faced due to gun violence, how was it like becoming a gun safety advocate?
Becoming a gun safety advocate was thrust upon me. I used to be excessively complacent in my life, ignorant to the problems of others; however, everything changed after my community was affected by something bigger than it could fathom. Even after a year, my community was still indirectly affected. Many were afflicted with PTSD and anxiety, seeking the help of physiatrists and therapists. After viewing all this first-hand, I deduced one conclusion. I must make a change.
Was it difficult to locate your voice as an activist when tackling such a heavy subject?
Yes, it was difficult to locate my voice as an activist when talking about a subject like this. It took me an entire year to simply find my voice and advocate for change. Being such a touchy subject, the shooting was impossible to be blunt with. Moreover, I was unsure of what to do after such a life-altering event. There is no guide on how to deal with something like this.
How do other members of your group process current laws and actions of the government concerning guns?
The members of Students On Safety are very intellectually diverse and often differ in their opinions on policy proposals. However, that does not take away from our collective passion for the issue. Overall, we do not support nor oppose gun control; instead, we feel that students should shift their focus to the urgent infrastructural issues in their schools like the lack of proper reporting methods, corrupt administration, and unqualified counselors.
How do you feel your position as National director of finance and administration of S.O.S. will influence
A) general gun control policy?
I believe that change takes a while. One major factor of our group is that we cannot influence gun policy nor lobby; however, by creating such a large group with over 70 chapters, we can amplify every one of our powerful voices and make a change. I believe that as the National Director of Finance and Administration of S.O.S., I will have the ability to amplify my voice even more. Being part of the younger, youth demographic also allows being influential. The number of youth activists is increasing and we will not be ignored.
B) participation of youth in activism?
This organization has 70 chapters across 25 states and are solely led by high-school students. This organization directly gives the youth a voice and a way of attaining leadership. The statistics alone display how S.O.S influences youth and youth activism. I feel that my position will allow me to manage the necessary funds to keep our organization successful. Another personal goal I have is to one day give grants to one of various chapters to create a project at their local school.
How do you feel about the use of social media to promote activism?
I love the concept of using social media to promote activism. Not only does it connect people globally, but it can spread your voice across to varying demographics, including other youth activists. One of the major reasons I became an activist was because of social media. After seeing so many stories and statistics on social media, I realized that I could also make a change within my community and abroad.
What advice do you have for students and young people to make their activism more “active” and less passive?
To make activism more “active,” students and the younger demographic should use their voice for real-world application. They should focus on inciting a change in their community. They can go on the news, get interviewed, create a campaign, lead a march, or protest for an issue they want to resolve. Creating an event and going into your community for opportunities brings attention to your cause and allows for your voice to be heard.
With the recent shootings, fueled by white nationalist sentiments, in El Paso, Dayton, and Chicago, a new streak of advocacy has developed in hopes of pushing lawmakers to create stricter laws including deeper background checks to reduce the frequency of shootings.