Student-led campus walk-out, rally spark political activism

By Bari Cohn

News Editor

Mira Costa students voluntarily participated in both the nationwide Walkout for Peace and the Rally for Unity and Hope on Monday in order to express their political beliefs following the 2016 elections.

Approximately 100 students from all Costa grade levels took part in the walk-out during second period. Across the nation, students used social media outlets to encourage participation in the event. At Costa, student protesters met in front of the main office and walked to the Manhattan Beach City Hall.

“The purpose was to show that young people have a voice, and it needs to be heard,” junior Molly Desimone said.

Once the students arrived at City Hall, City Council member Amy Howorth met with the students to discuss the importance of political expression. City Hall is not aligned with a particular party, Howorth said. At City Hall, students held signs and chanted in protest of Trump’s election.

At lunch later that day, senior Eliza Davis coordinated Costa’s first-ever non-partisan rally by talking to administration and inviting Costa students to a Facebook group to sign up for speeches. Davis promoted an open forum in which speakers had two minutes to express their beliefs, she said.

“I told the speakers to make sure to be respectful and hopeful,” Davis said. “If someone was going to attack a politician or a set of beliefs, they were going to have to provide solutions. It’s important to understand other perspectives.”

Over 10 Costa students, including Young Democrats President senior Ben Falley and Young Republicans President senior Kelly Sidney, spoke about their political beliefs regarding the results of the election and the partisan divide at Costa.

“I think it was worthwhile for people to hear other perspectives and to get ideas on how to engage themselves in the political process,” Davis said. “It is important for us to understand that many students are passionate about the political process.”