BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University students held a rally on campus on Wednesday, April 12th, after recent mass shootings in Louisville, Nashville and other U.S. cities.

They were part of the national group Students Demand Action, which is launching a campaign calling for colleges to divest from the gun industry.

Members set up a table in Red Square to answer questions and share experiences stemming from gun violence.

Among them was Gabriel Kelly, a first-year student at Western who said the event was an invaluable chance to inform his peers.

“A lot of students aren’t very well educated in divestment campaigns, or they don’t know how general stocks work, or how these big campuses are investing in the gun industry,” said Kelly. “So, a lot of it has been education. A lot of students say they didn’t know about this.”

Aside from providing information, Kelly said the group wanted to help instill a support network among students.

“There are a lot of organizations and nonprofits that are here to support students even though it’s a constant threat over our head (saying) that we are here with you,” said Kelly. “One voice isn’t incredible powerful but the voice of a hundred, a thousand, a million is so strong. We’re just telling people that your voice matters.”

Guns are the number one cause of death for children, teens and college aged students in the United States.

To listen to the full interview with Gabriel Kelly, visit our Podcast page.