Jason,
Before Women's History Month ends, I want to talk about another inspiring leader:
Nancy Pelosi is a legendary politician — the first woman Speaker of the House, one of the people most responsible for passing the Affordable Care Act, the leader who stood up to Donald Trump multiple times and actually won fights that mattered.
Today I want to tell a story about a time Nancy Pelosi showed up for young folks.
After Parkland, my classmates and I didn't trust politicians. We were failed by the status quo — and we were tired of hearing the same tired excuses for inaction. These are the same adults we felt were responsible for the weak gun laws that enabled the 19-year-old shooter who killed our administrators and classmates to be able to own an AR-15, despite repeated threats to shoot up our high school.
Nancy Pelosi was one of those politicians we were cautious about. But she still showed up anyway. I remember at a March for Our Lives event in 2018, we made a strict rule that no politicians would be able to speak. She came anyway, wearing a hat and sunglasses that she only briefly removed to show she was there with us.
In 2022, after the Uvalde and Buffalo shootings, March for Our Lives wanted to host a second march on the National Mall in front of the White House. The permit usually takes months to get approved — but I saw Speaker Pelosi at a protest and asked for her help. Along with Secretary Deb Haaland, she cut the red tape and made that second march on Washington possible. We were extremely grateful.
I have publicly disagreed with Speaker Pelosi. I have even protested in front of her office. But she has never once stopped showing up for survivors of gun violence.
With Speaker Pelosi after the passage of the first gun law in 30 years.
I've said it before, but I want to thank Nancy Pelosi for proving me wrong. Thank you for showing us that politicians can sometimes do the right thing.
Thank you for your leadership over the years that has moved our country forward. And thank you for making room for the next generation of progressives to lead.
Thank you,
David Hogg
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