In the wake of the Highland Park parade shooting, one suburban mother is using the tragedy as a call to action.
"We’re just tired of the crying and doing nothing and feeling helpless," said Kitty Brandtner, a mother of three.
She was in Winnetka at another Fourth of July parade, when the shots rang out in Highland Park.
"There was this juxtaposition of us at the parade saying, 'what? what happened?' Meanwhile, our kids are waving at the floats. 'What do we do?'"
She said she cried for hours, before turning her pain into purpose.
She posted a message to Instagram before bed, calling on her friends and family to join her in Washington DC.
The next morning, hundreds answered the call.
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"Suddenly we had 300 people that were willing to mobilize and get together."
She says her message is simple.
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"We just want one thing. We want to ban assault weapons."
She and hundreds of others now plan to travel to the nation's capital next week where they'll rally for gun reform. She and the many others who've stepped in to help with public relations, coordination and lobbying, are calling the organization "March Fourth."
"You’re not too small to make an impact. You don’t have to have experience in politics. You don’t have to have experience in legislation. Just use your voice, and that’s what we’re trying to do here," said Brandtner.
The rally is planned for July 13. The organization has already raised tens of thousands of dollars to help with transportation and other expenses.
