For Manuel and Patricia Oliver, Feb. 14 hasn’t been the same since 2018.
The couple lost their son Joaquin Oliver, who was killed along with 16 others in a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
But now, their Valentine’s Day has become a mission. This year, the Olivers will spend the 14th in Washington D.C. with other gun violence survivors and gun reform advocates attending different events throughout the day, talking to legislative leaders, and attending a vigil for the MSD victims.
The couple left Friday in a big yellow Change the Ref school bus with messages on its side such as "Save lives" and "Enough is enough," and pictures of Joaquin inside.
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It’s not their first trip to DC. Last year, Manuel Oliver climbed a 150-foot crane outside of the White House, demanding an end to gun violence.
“This is not something we can solve with one action, this is not a one-day job, this is not a one-day vigil, this is not something you’re gonna solve by wearing an orange t-shirt one day and lighting a candle," Manuel Oliver said. "No, you have to do it every single day. Get out there and show your faces."
This year, the Olivers are also calling on people to use a yellow penalty flag to call out elected officials and demand change. They encourage people to record themselves throwing a yellow flag and to upload the videos to penaltyflagforchange.com.
