On Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, multiple co-founders of the March for Our Lives (MFOL) organization publicly announced their endorsement of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for president. They released a video on various social media platforms elaborating on their decision to put their full support behind Sanders. 

MFOL co-founders Delaney Tarr, Chris Grady and Matt Deitsch as well as gun reform activists David Mumin, Robert Schentrup, Nurah Abdulhaqq, Thandiwe Abdullah and Maxwell Frost were all featured in the Sanders endorsement video. The activists all agree that Sanders’ plan for combating gun violence and the National Rifle Association (NRA) is the most practical and effective out of all the Democratic nominees. 

“Bernie Sanders has often had to stand alone, but he has often stood on the right side of history,” Schentrup said.

Sanders has been an advocate for the MFOL organization since its establishment in 2018. On Thursday, Feb. 20, he expressed his gratitude for the backing of MFOL co-founders on Twitter. 

Earlier in the month, on Feb. 8, Sanders announced that Deitsch, an MSD class of 2016 alumni, would be his presidential campaign gun prevention advisor. Deitsch will be responsible for organizing a coalition of gun reform activists, organizations and survivors. He believes that Sanders will prioritize gun control and reform as well as other pressing issues in America.

“Bernie Sanders is leading a movement big enough to defeat Donald Trump and the NRA,” Deitsch said. “Bernie has an agenda that will tackle all forms of gun violence and if implemented will save countless lives.” 

Schentrup was recently active in campaigning for Sanders in Iowa during the 2020 Iowa caucus. After losing his sister Carmen Schentrup in the shooting at MSD on Feb. 14, 2018, gun reform has grown to be a major concern for Schentrup. He has put his full support behind Sanders, who he believes will make a positive impact in current gun legislation and reform if elected.

“Bernie Sanders understands that now is not the time for piecemeal ideas that do nothing to address the root causes of gun violence,” Schentrup said. “He knows that we need to make systematic changes to create a proper regulatory system for guns.”

MFOL co-founders and gun reform activists stand by their endorsement for senator Sanders and are eager to see what is in store for him in the future. These leaders urge others to take a chance by endorsing Sanders as well.