COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Dozens of Coronado High School students walked out of class Monday afternoon to honor the memory of alumna Renee Good, who was shot and killed by a federal ICE agent in Minneapolis last week.
The students marched along Fillmore Street in Colorado Springs, demanding change and speaking out against what they called an injustice.
"Class is important, but speaking up for the injustice and wrongs in the world are incredible," one student said.
Good was born in Colorado Springs and graduated from Coronado High School in 2006.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Good "weaponized her vehicle, and the officer acted in self-defense” when she was shot inside her car.
"She's a fellow student. We're here today to remember her memory, in her honor. She was a hero to the people, to us," a student said.
Another student reflected on Good's connection to their school.
"We spend every day in a place where she walked, and she breathed, and she lived her day to day. She was a real person who was killed," the student said.
Several dozen students chose not to attend class after lunch, instead taking to the streets to make their voices heard.
"You can't change anything with just being silent," one participant said.
When asked about their vision for the future, students expressed hopes for safety and acceptance.
"A future for us would be safety in our homes, not being asked in public if we're citizens or not," a student said.
The young activists emphasized the importance of speaking up early.
"I think it's really powerful starting this young. You're gonna be hearing people tell you not to protest when you're as young as you are, but if we don't talk, if we don't share our voices now, then when are we going to?” one concluded.
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