Dear Children,

First things first—where are you reading this? Should you be doing your homework right now? No? Okay, let’s read on.

This party was built for you, it truly was. Because we were tired of seeing you die. Sometimes murdered by adults, sometimes killing each other. You’re not safe - not in your community dance classes, not even in your own classrooms. Some of you aren’t even safe in your own homes. We couldn’t keep watching you die, be beaten, and suffer terrible things without doing something about it.

We are too late for too many, but we are just in time for many, many more. We can’t keep you all safe all the time - sadly, no one can - but we can make sure that anyone who dares harm a single hair on your head faces the harshest consequences. We’re going to try to make your classrooms safer and hopefully help your families feel a little more secure.

You can’t vote for us. If you could, we would ask for your support. Instead, we’ll ask for something else - just try to be kind to other children. I know it’s not always easy, and it’s okay if you don’t always manage it. Please, just try your best in school and grow up safe and strong. We don’t really need anything from you more than that, just for you to live. If you can do that, it would mean more to us than a billion votes.

But don’t do it for us. Do it for you.

Okay, wish us luck. We’re going to go and speak to the other adults. We’d rather sit and talk to you, but Iwe must do this now. We believe we are strong and smart enough to win this fight. But, on the off chance that we are not, we just want you to know this—you are loved. So very, very loved. Hopefully, by the people around you. But if, by some sad chance, the people around you don’t make you feel loved, then this is for you. There are people in this country that loves you very, very much. And we are about to make sure our laws do the same.