Severn activist is giving back, even in pandemic
The coronavirus pandemicmade physically sharing a platform with politicians and citizens impossible for a young activist likeMackenzie Boughey. In some ways, the recent Severn School graduate considers it a change for the better.
An activist since elementary school and March for Lives organizer in Annapolis, Boughey hosted a post- election forum on Dec. 16 inviting the public to ask questions forMaryland congressmen Jamie Raskin, Anthony Brown and John Sarbanes. Boughey’s roundtable also served to teach about gun violence, prevention legislation and more.
“It was so weird seeing all these congressmen on a Zoom call,” Boughey said, “but it was cool knowing that we coulddothings like that in the future, even after this pandemic is gone, hopefully.”
When coronavirus took Boughey’s senior high school lacrosse season away, she didn’t let activism go. She had online meetings for Steuart Pittman’s Gun Violence Task Force, which put out its final report inJune. Sheworked ona documentary — “From Adolescence to Advocacy” — about student activism’s evolution from the 1960s to today as a senior project and released it inMay.
This fall, Boughey learned to phoneand text- bank, calling voters to check registration and ensure they’d be ready to vote come ElectionDay.
As she spent her first semester at Washington College virtually, Boughey found ways to give back in her community, such as bringing food for the Light House shelter and donating necessities for the Giving Back Linda’s Legacy homeless drive. She’s done that for the past six years.
“It’s definitely different just going and dropping off supplies rather than actually being able to help and be hands- on with it, but it’s still cool to give back and know you’remaking a difference,” Boughey said.
Boughey got into activism eight years ago when images of the Sandy Hook shooting aftermath flashed across television screens. Shewas only a kid at the time but seeing the heavy emotions from her parents, she felt the need to act.
She started small. She and her family took part in the 26 Random Acts of Kindness campaign, where participants would engage in a simple act of compassion. Boughey’s family paid for the person’s coffee in line behind them. Boughey donated items. She made her mother’s bed if she’d had a bad day.
Assmall as the actswere, Bougheylitup when she’d see someone else do the same thing, too.
“If my family bought someone’s coffee and they did the same thing behind them, that was like, ‘ Wow, that’s really cool. I really want to keep doing this,’ ” Boughey said.
InMarch 2018, another tragedy shaped Boughey’s devotion to activism, when an armed student killed 14 of his classmates and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. Bougheywas a sophomore.
“I was honestly a little frustrated because I feel like growing up I’ve always heard about shootings in the U. S. but nothing seemed to change afterward to prevent them,” Boughey said.
As Stoneman Douglas students emerged as leaders to call for “sister marches” across the country, Boughey answered. She organized one that brought as many as thousands to the streets of Annapolis.
Boughey founded the Annapolis chapter ofMarch for Our Lives, which formed as an organization in response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting.
She’s held roundtables to discuss gun violence that included state delegates, state senators and Pittman.
Last October, she became the first non- adult to receive the Tribute to Women and Industry Award, which is given by the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County to professional women in fields of nonprofit, health, community, education, arts and business.
Through social media, Boughey urged followers to attend vigils for gun victims and other victims of violence, such as George Floyd, as well as the Wendi Winters blood drive, in honor of the longtime Capital Gazette journalist slain in the 2018 newsroom shooting in Annapolis.
Boughey’s taken part inWreathsAcross America for the last five years, laying wreaths upon the graves of soldiers in the Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville. She also played the bagpipes, filling the solemn winter air with the military set and “AmazingGrace.”
This year, she recorded herself playing for a video that was shown during the virtual ceremonyDec. 13.
“It turned out really well, so I’m happy they could continue that, even if everything’s different now,” Boughey said.
Admittedly, continuing her work has been made difficult even with modern technology at Boughey’s disposal. The pandemic clouds motivation, making everyday tasks a little harder, she said. Itwas even strange sitting in front of a camera to record herself playing the bagpipes rather than being able to be immersed with actual people and feed off their energy. When she made a mistake, she hit pause and started over.
“That was kind of weird if I’m being honest,” Boughey said, “but I was still so happy to be a part of that. I love doing it and just giving back to the community.”