Hundreds of Newtown residents participated in March For Our Lives rallies on Saturday, March 24. Most traveled to major cities like Hartford, New York City, and Washington, D.C., to stand up against gun violence and have their voices heard.The Newtown Bee. "We are no longer a community in the minority, a community that had to cope with tragedy that the average population didn't understand. Other communities are now understanding what we went through, as gun violence everywhere is becoming more common. All of this was made clear at the March."

Many held up handmade signs with personalized messages. Some signs made by Newtown residents read "Protect our children, not assault weapons," "No kid should have to go through what I went through," and "Enough is enough." Also in the hands of March For Our Lives attendees were images of gun violence victims, like Daniel Barden, one of the children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on 12/14.

People of all ages supported the cause, including Newtown High School senior Ashlyn DeLoughy. She described the march as "surreal" and that after getting off the train in Washington to attend the rally there were reporters asking her questions and strangers wanting to hug her and take her picture all because she was from Newtown.

"Five years later and the world still cares," Ashlyn told

"This is not a Sandy Hook problem. This is not a Parkland problem. This is an American problem," she continued. "And this generation, Generation Z, is more than ready to take action, and you will see this action in the next election. The March for Our Lives rally was just the beginning."

Newtown resident Mary Ann Jacob, who hid more than a dozen 9-year-old students with her colleagues at Sandy Hook Elementary School on 12/14, spoke to the March For Our Lives crowd gathered in New York City.

She addressed how just last month 17 students and educators were shot and killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., and that she was honored to be at the rally supporting the survivors who organized the marches across the country.

our safety, the safety of our families, and the safety of our communities is put at risk by the dangerous agenda of the gun lobby."

In her speech she said, "Today, led by you, our nation's youth, we will send a clear message to our leaders in Washington and in statehouses across the country that we will not sit idly by while

Ms Jacob said she marched to honor all the victims of gun violence from mass shooting victims to those of suicide, domestic violence, and city violence.

Also rallying at March For Our Lives was Sandy Hook resident Carol Collins and her 12-year-old son, Liam. They rode one of the eight buses sponsored by Newtown Action Alliance and Sandy Hook Promise to Washington, D.C.

After the event concluded, she said a man from one of the Stoneman Douglas buses took the time to visit the Newtown group, and placed a hat into Liam's hands. It was embroidered with a Stoneman Douglas logo, which Liam then proudly wore.

"Parkland, like Newtown, chooses love," said Ms Collins. "May this be the moment when true change begins."