On Thursday, April 4, 21 parachutes covered Dallas Hall Lawn. These parachutes represented the lives of the 19 children and two teachers who lost their lives in the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.
Three mothers, Kimberly Rubio, Gloria Gazares, and Veronica Mata, lost their children in the shooting. They started “Lives Robbed,” an organization that actively rallies against gun violence, a few months after the shooting. Their activism, the mothers explained, is a heavy responsibility.
“We fight at the federal level for gun legislation, at the state level, and also for accountability at the local level,” Rubio said.
The three mothers discussed their activism at a panel held in Hughes Trigg Auditorium. Though it’s hard work balancing motherhood, grief, their careers, and activism, Rubio, Gazares, and Mata argue the effort is well worth it.
“It’s important. It is. It’s very important that we make people aware that this could happen anywhere, it just doesn’t happen in small towns,” Mata said. “So we need to make people more aware of the things that are happening and the things that are affecting our young kids, older students. We need to make sure that they are aware that this could happen anywhere.”
Recently, Rubio, Gazeres, and Mata pushed Uvalde leaders to reject what is known as the Prado Report. This report cleared Uvalde officers of any wrongdoing in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary.
The families of the Robb Elementary victims view the Prado Report as a “slap in the face.”
“I’m hoping the city of Uvalde sees that, realizes that, and maybe […] we can move forward, maybe we can find someone else to do another review,” Gazares said.
The report was made by private investigator Jesse Prado whose active shooter training has now been called into question.
The mothers also honored and celebrated the legacies of their children: Lexi, Tess, and Jackie. Rubio’s daughter, Lexi, was 10 years old and dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Rubio says her work with “Lives Robbed” will honor Lexi’s life and legacy.
“Lexi’s legacy will be changed, and mine will be honoring her with action,” says Rubio.
