Making a major statement. Millie Bobby Brown paid tribute to the 17 people killed during a school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when she attended the 2018 Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday, March 24, at the Forum in Inglewood, California.
The Stranger Things star, 14, wore a denim button-down shirt that she customized to feature the names of 17 students and faculty who were slain in the February 14 school shooting. The shirt also had the phrase “Never Again” — a group created by the high school’s students advocating for gun control — emblazoned over the front left pocket. Across the back was “March For Our Lives,” a shout-out to the nationwide demonstration, which was organized and led by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas survivors that occurred earlier in the day. According to NBC News, organizers estimate that about 800,000 people participated in the march calling for reform to gun laws.
While accepting the award for Favorite TV actress for her role as Eleven in the hit Netflix series, Brown began her emotional speech by thanking her fans for the award and Nickelodeon for bringing everyone together.
“The March for Our Lives demonstrations that took place all over the world today have inspired me and impacted us all in one way or another. I’m fortunate to be here tonight to receive an award as an actor. I am so very grateful and I appreciate the love and support of my fans and the opportunity that our show, Stranger Things, has created for me,” the actress said as the audience cheered. “But more than anything, I get to be up here, and I’m privileged to have a voice that can be heard, one that I can use to hopefully make a positive difference and help influence change.”
“Ok, so there’s an amazing support, love and kindness in this room right now, and I want to encourage everyone to embrace it and to pass it on. For the angels among us, your spirit lives on,” Brown continued, fighting back tears. “This is for you.” She then raised her orange blimp award and turned her back to the camera to show off the names of the victims.
As previously reported, many celebrities — including Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga — showed up to the March for Our Lives protests to support students demanding a change to change gun laws. Other celebrities — including George Clooney, Taylor Swift and Kate Capshaw — also donated money to the cause.
Nicolas Cruz, a former Marjory Stoneman Douglas student, was arrested shortly after the massacre. The 19-year-old was indicted March 7 on 34 counts of premeditate murder and attempted murder. Prosecutors said they will be asking for the death penalty.
