Jae Young

As a high school student in Oakland county close enough to be sent into a lockdown (7 mins), who had friends at Oxford, I can’t relate to the trauma Mia, Vada, Quinton, and Nick went through. But I can relate to Amelia’s in a way. Being separated from that incident and not directly ingrained in the community that was affected by it. I can by no means speak on behalf of what happened but I can say that if you have found yourself in a place where you have healed, enough to be reminded without feeling triggered, this movie is so important to watch. As a Gen-Z kid who grew up with active shooter drills as a norm in her life, seeing this played out in a way that embodies the experience of kids in the public school system rather than reflecting on it is radical for me. To know that it’s not an isolated fear. And being detached after time passes, feeling guilty (for me, it was hard to allow myself to rationalize guilt when I wasn’t at Oxford, and any time I said something I felt like I was making the situation about me, when I simply wanted to help others feel seen in their emotions the way I wanted to feel seen), and for having to redefine what’s worth it, how to live, how to breathe. To discover that you weren’t allowed to survive because your school wasn’t the one who survived such an attack, it’s just what happened. Jenna, Maddy, they were brilliant. I was in awe, I felt like they connected to their characters and the story and they understand how much of this is a direct reality for students across the nation. Thank you Megan Ford for making this movie. For those who can watch, do.