Spotlight on: Emma González

Denver Women's Chorus, Rocky Mountain Arts Association News

Emma González (born November 11, 1999) is an American activist and advocate for gun control. As a high school senior she survived the February 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida (during which a gunman killed seventeen and severely injured many more), and in response co-founded the gun-control advocacy group Never Again MSD.

González gave a viral speech against gun violence, proclaiming “We call B.S.” on the lack of action by politicians funded by the NRA. Subsequently, González continued to be an outspoken activist on gun control, making high profile media appearances and helping organize the March for Our Lives. Speaking at the demonstration, she led a moment of silence for the victims of the massacre; she stood on stage for six minutes, which she observed was the length of the shooting spree itself.

Glamour Magazine called González “the face of the #NeverAgain movement” and “a recognizable icon” while The Washington Post called her “La nueva cara of Florida Latinx” (“The new face of Florida Latinx“) and drew comparisons to the revolutionary José Martí. NBC News called her “one of the most visible student activists to emerge from the shooting…” In a nationally televised interview on 60 Minutes, González described the idea of arming teachers in classrooms with guns as “stupid.” In March 2018, González was on the cover of Time magazine along with fellow activists Jaclyn Corin, David Hogg, Cameron Kasky, and Alex Wind. That same month she was profiled by France 24.

González graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the spring of 2018. She served as the president of its gay–straight alliance. In high school, González was also the tracking team leader on Project Aquila, a mission to send a school-made weather balloon “to the edge of space”; the project was documented by fellow student David Hogg. She enjoys creative writing and astronomy and is currently studying at New College of Florida.

The Denver Women’s Chorus will be performing many powerful pieces for our audience, including a Spanish song about UNITY called Juntos. Join us THIS WEEKEND for our upcoming concert Nevertheless We Persist: Singing our Stories for 35 Years at Central Presbyterian Church of Denver JANUARY 25th at 7:30pm and 26th at 2pm and 7:30pm. Tickets ON SALE NOW at www.denverwomenschorus.org

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