On January 23, 2020, the March for Life Youth Rally kicked off with inspiring speakers, and continued with a peaceful march on January 24. One person who attended the March for Life in Washington D.C. is Mehlville’s senior Ava Johnson.

The March for Life is a peaceful rally protesting the legalization and practice of abortion. This pro-life advocacy march is center around the date of the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe vs. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in all 50 states.

“I have been going to the March for Life every year since 2017,” said Johnson.

The March for Life in Washington D.C. is the largest annual human rights demonstration in the world. Johnson attended the March for Life in Washington D.C. to legally protest the constitutionality of abortion, the death penalty, and embryonic stem cell research.

“I march in D.C. legally to protesting this and demanding change to protect the lives of the unborn and those on death row,” said Johnson.

The Youth Rally allows students to stand up for what they believe in, in their local communities and hear from dynamic speakers.

“As a student, I am able to learn more about the Pro-Life movement and take what I have learned back to St. Louis,” said Johnson.

Johnson said she has been impacted by attending the march by volunteer back home in St. Louis. Johnson volunteers locally at a Pro-Life organization called Our Lady’s Inn. Our Lady’s Inn is a maternity home providing women with resources who otherwise would not have access to, like motherhood classes, finding jobs, and finding permanent housing.

Johnson is excited to continue attending the March for Life and volunteering back home in St. Louis.