Friday March 6th 2026 after school, many students marched from Tinley Park High School to Zabrocki Plaza in downtown Tinley Park. They held up signs depicting messages like, “Love Over Hate” and “We Speak Up For Those Who Can’t” in an act of protest. The protesters chanted, cried, and smiled as they stood tall, despite the downpour. The group left feeling a sense of community: successful and proud.
Why did these teenagers gather? What were they trying to do? Charlotte explains, “I came because I’ve seen everything happening in the US and all I want is a change. It’s terrifying to grow up in a world that’s not safe.” Similarly Alejandro says, “I know people who are being directly affected by ICE and whose families are living in a state of perpetual fear.” One student, who did not plan on attending the protest, explains, “I originally wasn’t going to join, but when I saw everyone walking past my house after school, standing up for what was right, I felt like I had no choice but to join.” When asked specifically about why this protest was so important to him, Omar explains, “It was a problem that affected me earlier in my life when they took my grandfather and uncle when I was very young.” It’s clear that students have their own reasons for protesting, but in short, they all just needed a way to convey the feelings that they experience day to day, and hopefully get a message out to their community.
During the protest, students felt overwhelmed with emotion, and overall successful. Ismael states, “I felt drenched, due to the rain that followed, but overwhelmingly positive after seeing a community come together for such a thing.” Likewise another student explains, “During the protest when people were driving past and cheering us on, I started to realize how serious the situation is. I also started to understand how divided people were once I saw the expressions on the faces of the people who didn’t cheer.” Although protesters left feeling successful, some explain that this protest just further ignited their motivation to act further; “Afterwards I felt accomplished but at the same time conflicted due to the fact that people are still suffering, and it left me with a feeling of wanting to do more,” says Alejandro.
It’s clear that this protest felt necessary to those who attended; it allowed them to safely express their views, come together, and try to make a change. It can be hard for teenagers to feel heard and taken seriously; something like this is what they needed. As noted by Charlotte, “Sure- we didn’t change anything huge, but just letting people know that there is a community and there is a group of kids who want a future is a win.”
