Photo: David Hogg speaking at the Westminster Town Hall Forum in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Credit: Lorie Shaull.

David Hogg: Parkland Survivor Turned Youth Activist Powerhouse

New York, N.Y. Thrust into the world of activism by the largest school shooting in American history, Parkland survivor David Hogg has become one of the most compelling voices of his generation. His call to “get over politics and get something done” challenges Americans to stand up, speak out, and work to elect morally just leaders, regardless of party affiliation. Passionate in his advocacy to end gun violence, David’s mission of increasing voter participation, civic engagement, and activism embraces a range of issues.

On February 14, 2018, David’s life changed forever. As a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, he lost friends, classmates, and teachers. A total of 17 people were killed when a lone teen gunman sprayed bullets from a high-powered military assault rifle. David’s eloquent responses to America’s largest school shooting immediately placed him in the national and international media spotlight.

Photo: David Hogg’s life changed forever as a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Committed to becoming an agent for change, he resolved that no other young person should have to experience the tragic impact of gun violence. He joined with friends from high school to co-found March For Our Lives, now one of the world’s largest youth-led movements. Just five weeks after the shooting, March For Our Lives organized one of the largest protests in U.S. history, with Hogg addressing an estimated 800,000 people in Washington, D.C. He declared, “The sun shines on a new day—and it is ours!”

Since then, David’s activism has taken him around the country, meeting with impacted families and diverse communities to deepen his knowledge of gun safety and the politics of ending gun violence. With his younger sister, Lauren, also a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, he co-wrote #NeverAgain, a New York Times bestseller. David and Lauren also contributed to the best-selling book, Glimmer of Hope: How Tragedy Sparked a Movement, a compilation of writing from the founders of March For Our Lives.

In 2019, David headed to Harvard University and graduated in the spring of 2023.

He recently co-founded Leaders We Deserve, a grassroots political organization dedicated to electing young progressives to Congress and state legislatures across the country. “We will help defeat the far-right agenda and advance a progressive vision for our collective future,” David says.

A prolific voice on social media with over a million followers, David uses his platform to promote civic engagement, activism, and voting. As a speaker, he informs, challenges, and energizes, empowering his generation to resist apathy and become catalysts for positive social change. “People call us snowflakes,” he once tweeted. “What happens when snowflakes vote? That’s called an avalanche.”

David Hogg: Leading Charge for Gun Reform and Civic Engagement (June 14, 2023)

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TAGS: Activism, Youth Movements, Gun Violence, School Shootings, Civic Engagement, Progressive Politics, Social Change, David Hogg, Parkland