Road to Change kicks off Florida leg of tour

Parkland event will be time of fun and games

The Florida leg of March for Our Lives’ Road to Change summer bus tour will have its official kickoff party today at the Equestrian Center at Temple Park in Parkland, an event organizers are pitching as more carefree celebration than political rally.

The free, family-oriented gathering will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. and include free food and games, and entertainment from HITS 97.3-FM. The Equestrian Center is at 8350 Ranch Road.

“Since this is our kickoff, we just wanted it to be fun and let people enjoy themselves instead of having a serious conversation. Because everyone here has been through it and we already have their support, which we’re super grateful for,” said organizer John Barnitt. “It’s just a fun-energy event that the family can go to for a night out.”

Barnitt, 17, will be a senior in the fall at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people lost their lives on Feb. 14. Barnitt was among the co-founders of the March for Our Lives protest in Washington, D.C., and is a co-organizer of Road to Change in Florida with fellow student Adam Alhanti.

Citing security concerns, Barnitt said he could not reveal the full schedule of Road to Change in Florida, which will visit all 27 congressional districts in the state. He said there would be two weekend stops in Miami, with appearances in Florida’s 26th district on Saturday and 27th district on Sunday.

March for Our Lives students also will attend a peace rally in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood on July 3, he said.

Barnitt said the major players in March for Our Lives — including David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez, Cameron Kasky, Delaney Tarr and others — have been in daily contact in person and in group chats as the Florida tour has developed.

At least 15 Marjory Stoneman Douglas students will make personal appearances off and on during the Florida tour, Barnitt said, including himself, Alhanti, Tarr, Sarah Chadwick and Lauren Hogg.

Other stops on the tour and the lineup appearing at each event will be revealed a few at a time on social media, Barnitt says.

“For security reasons, we’re announcing those stops when it’s very close to the date, so we can take precautions,” he said.

The initial stops on the current national Road to Change bus tour, a votereducation and registration drive scheduled to hit 50 locations in 20 states, were announced on Twitter the night before the first stop in Chicago on June 15.

The last-second nature of these arrangements can be a challenge for organizers on the other side. Todd DeAngelis, a spokesman for the city of Parkland, said officials usually get 30-60 days to coordinate an event on city property. This time they had about a week.

DeAngelis said parts of the Road to Change proposal could not be approved in time, including the use of Pine Trails Park. Several issues were still being worked out late in the afternoon on Thursday.

“They’re kids, but you can’t help but admire what they’re doing,” DeAngelis said.

Barnitt says the best source of information about the tour is at Twitter .com/AMarch4OurLives.

Barnitt