MEET

X GONZALEZ

Intersectional Activist & Co-Founder of March For Our Lives

ABOUT X

When the former Emma González came out as non-binary in college, they changed their name to X—inspired by Malcolm X—and there truly isn’t a more perfect fit. X is an activist to the core. X truly believes in the power of your voice and how it can cause change. They fight for everything from gun violence prevention to protecting LGBTQ+ rights to environmental protection.

  • “I really think that a lot of people underestimate the power that they have and the influence that they can have,” X said in an interview with Reuters. “People take for granted that their voice isn’t going to do anything when it really will because that’s what happened to me.”

    Happened, indeed. Born and raised in Parkland, Fla., X is a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman- Douglas High School shooting, where X became a leading voice in the gun violence prevention movement with their powerful speech “We Call BS.”

    In 2018, X gave another iconic speech—this one containing over four minutes of silence at the March For Our Lives protest in Washington D.C. It was the largest student-led demonstration in American history, with about one million protestors in attendance. The actions of X and their classmates led to 278 stricter gun laws being put into place all over the country, the banning of bump stocks, the rise of “red flag” laws, countless voter registrations and a blueprint for activism and protesting for Gen Z.

    X has always been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. They identified as bisexual in high school, relabeled to queer in college and added non-binary to the mix during quarantine in 2020. As president of their high school’s GSA, they gave presentations on queer history, offered activities reexamining gender norms and made space for discussing queer media. During college, X took courses on gender and looked hard at how gender intersects with their other course topics. And as someone who was raised female and is perceived as female by society, they think about gender every day.

    X continues to preach the intersectionality of the issues that people face in the United States. They argue that racial issues are inherently tied to the issue of gun violence prevention, just as environmental issues are inherently tied to youth rights, and LGBTQ+ rights are tied to healthcare issues, etc.

    In 2018, TIME magazine named X one of the “100 Most Influential People.” Most recently, X graduated from New College of Florida with an Area of Concentration in Liberal Arts. X has been speaking out against Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “war-on-woke” targeting of their alma mater and his overhaul of the school’s board of trustees.

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Public Affairs & Media

Motivation

TAGS & EXPERTISE

Advocacy • Social Impact • Leadership • Human Rights • Public Policy • Current Events • Storytelling • Community Engagement • Personal Growth • Resilience

SPEAKING TOPICS

  • In this inspirational conversation, X González will share their personal journey and invites audiences into a deep discussion of intersectionality and the issues that come with it, such as queer rights, racial justice, socioeconomic inequality and gender discussions. They are passionate about the subject of how our differences from each should be celebrated and learned from, and how inequality challenges us to recognize our own biases and privileges.

  • In a new survey by KFF and The Washington Post, 25% of transgender adults have been physically attacked. It increases to 31% among trans people of color. Add to that the statistically higher prevalence of mental health issues, the lack of access to housing and one-third of the country passing laws that criminalize and ban access to gender-affirming care, and it is easy to see why so many people are struggling. In this conversation, drawing on their own personal experiences and activism, X González will dive into these pressing issues, the triumphs of the community and how we can all help.

  • If there is only one message X González would like the whole world to hear it’s this: Never underestimate the power of your voice. It’s what they used, along with fellow students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, to start a movement against gun violence that continues to this day. In this powerful and inspiring talk, X shares their own personal journey through the Gun Violence Prevention movement and all the lessons they learned in activism and life because of it. They also share tips on speech writing and rhetoric, as well as help with public speaking.

  • In this conversation, activist X González explores the nebulous nature of gender and gender identity, despite the very real-world consequences of accepting or denying gender roles. They talk about how feminism and female empowerment have changed in meaning for them now that they identify as non-binary, as well as how these ideas have changed in the eyes and minds of society. After all, where would feminism be without queer and trans women? This conversation is sure to spark even deeper discussions and positive change in the ongoing fight for everyone to be treated well.

FEATURED VIDEOS

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