The Object That's Following A Long Trail Of Gun Violence.
KRIEL: Welcome back. You're watching CNN, and this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Robyn Kriel. More now on one of our top stories this Sunday. The massive wave of rallies against gun violence. That is one of the rallying cries from crowds energized by student survivors of school gun violence. It's a call to action to remove any politician who doesn't support stricter gun control. Hundreds of thousands took part in the event and more than 800 cities across the U.S. and around the world. The movement is spearheaded by survivors of last month school shooting in Parkland, Florida. One of them took the podium in Washington to highlight the impact of young people.</s>ALEX WIND, JUNIOR STUDENT, STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL: People believe that the youth have no voice. When Joan of Arc, fought back English forces she was 17 years old. When Mozart wrote his first symphony he was eight years old. To those people that tell us that teenagers can't do anything, I say that we were the only people that could have made this movement possible.</s>KRIEL: Well, as you just heard, the White House issued a statement applauding the marches for their -- for exercising their right to protest. That says, keeping children safe is the top priority for the U.S. president. But, we haven't heard anything from Donald Trump directly. He's been uncharacteristically silent about the marches or will founding, or found arrange a pallet topics on Twitter. Joining me now in studio are two youth organizers for the march from our -- from here in Georgia, Jennia Taylor and Royce Mann. You guys marched yesterday and some incredible stuff coming from really around the world. I'd like to start with you Jennia. What did you think about yesterday's march here in Georgia? What did you -- what did you feel?</s>JENNIA TAYLOR, YOUTH ORGANIZER, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES: It felt amazing, overwhelming to get such support from Georgians. We had people of Austin, from even make in Georgia, but just really far from Utah. And we're just so excited to get started on our movement.</s>KRIEL: You're only 21 years old. Roes, you're 16 years old.</s>ROYCE MANN, YOUTH ORGANIZER, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES: Yes.</s>KRIEL: And you were actually a graduate of a school that sort, horrific shooting, Marjory Stoneman Douglas.</s>TAYLOR: Yes.</s>KRIEL: I wanted to just talk about what that day must have been like for you to know that, that was your school?</s>TAYLOR: Yes, it was heartbreaking. I actually found out from a family group text because my dad was on the way to school to pick up someone. And I had a family member who was actually a freshman at the school. So, to not be able to find him for a little bit also was a little scary. And you know, Stoneman Douglas is my home, I saw my teachers when I saw my parents that one point. So, for someone to come in and attack your home it really hurts your heart.</s>KRIEL: Royce, you're 16 years old as I've said.</s>MANN: Yes.</s>KRIEL: I've seen some commentary recently that said, kids, are marching because adults have failed. Do you feel that adult have failed you guys?</s>MANN: I do, and I think, especially, our elected officials have failed us. When you look at the policies that we are advocating for, they have tremendous public support. And the fact that our politicians haven't listened to the public, especially, the young people. And actually, done something to prevent this gun violence, that's appalling. And so, that's why we, as young people, we, as citizens are taking that power into our own hands and saying do something now or we'll vote you out.</s>KRIEL: What would you like to hear from President Donald Trump? As I said earlier, he has been uncharacteristically quiet.</s>MANN: Yes, I would love to hear support from him. We want support from anywhere we can go. I mean, he has come out and support of a few things that we come out support of such as a ban on bump stocks. But I want to see him actually, actually put that in a place. Actually, follow through with these promises that he's been making and actually make more promises that will prevent this gun violence in the future.</s>KRIEL: And Jennia, what are your plans for the future?</s>TAYLOR: So, we have come together as students planning the when to march just to form the Georgia Student Alliance for social justice. Their last day of session will be Thursday, so we plan to be there while they're -- for their last day of session to really talk to Representatives, and, you know, speaking with organizers across the nation to ensure we can come together and know we want to do. We definitely want to get legislation pass to make our community safer.</s>KRIEL: What do you think is one thing that people, from perhaps, who might be in the middle could latch onto that your organization is pushing? Perhaps, they don't support outright gun control, but they don't necessarily ever want to see another school shooting?</s>TAYLOR: Yes. Well, for us as school organizers, we don't want to take away any second amendment, right? That's all we want the people to understand which just wanted to be safer, we want a background checks, we want mental health checks. And so, it's something that is common sense is not anything that's drastic. We've had students planning from both sides come together. So, just knowing that we already have bipartisan support is something to push people along.</s>KRIEL: I know that you're also taking a holistic approach to all of this.</s>MANN: Yes.</s>KRIEL: In fact, you're a slam poet. Could you drop some lines about how this is all it needs to be? As Jennia said, mental health approach, it needs to be -- from a variety of different angles.</s>MANN: Yes, it needs to be multifaceted for sure. We have to make sure that there's better access to good mental health care in all communities, especially, which isn't based on income levels. For sure, you also have to ensure and support programs within communities that just make a community more welcoming environment. And programs within schools to make sure that all students at a particular school feel welcome and non-feel isolated. And that along with this common sense gun legislation, I think, we'll make a huge dent in this issue of gun violence that is truly an epidemic in this country.</s>KRIEL: You're obviously both activist, and you've been activist before that terrible shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. But what -- do you think upcoming a shifted amongst young people?</s>TAYLOR: I think that we've been calling this the tipping point in our generation to really get up and doing something. We are the largest demographic for voting. We might not necessarily turn out large demographic but we're doing something to make that change that we are large demographic and we're voting in large demographic.</s>KRIEL: What about you? You're not going to be illegible to vote in the next election.</s>MANN: Yes. But I will be in 2020. And when you look the politicians in this country, they care about getting reelected. And so, even now, we have power over them. Even if you're not old enough to vote yet. If you go to your elected officials, and say, "Hey, in three years, I'll be voting for you. And I'll either vote for you or against you based on whether you support legislation to protect me and my peers.</s>TAYLOR: Yes, and you never know, I'm 21 years old, we're college students also organizing this. We're old enough to run and take over their places. So, if they don't have anyone running against them, we will step in.</s>KRIEL: All right, we really do appreciate it. Thank you so much time.</s>TAYLOR: Thank you.</s>KRIEL: Jennia Taylor and Royce, we do very much appreciate it.</s>MANN: Thank you.</s>TAYLOR: Thank you.</s>KRIEL: Live from Atlanta, this is CONNECT THE WORLD. Coming up, we travel to Antarctica to find out how a tiny sea creature helps fight climate change in an unusual way.