Alfonso Calderon (activist)

For other people with the same name, see Alfonso Calderon (disambiguation).

Alfonso Calderón Atienzar^[a] (born October 10, 2001)^[2][3] is a Spanish-American student activist against gun violence.^[6][7] He is a survivor of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting and a founding member of the Never Again MSD movement.^[6][8][7]

Alfonso Calderón
Calderon at the 2018 White House Correspondents' Dinner
Born	Alfonso Calderón Atienzar[1] (2001-10-10) October 10, 2001 (age 23)[2][3] Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain[4]
Nationality	Spanish American[4]
Education	Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (–2019) American University[5] (2019–)
Occupation(s)	Student, activist
Years active	2018–present
Known for	Advocacy against gun violence

Early life and activism

Calderon was born in a Spanish town outside Madrid called Alcobendas, and he has been living in the United States since 2008.^[9][4]

Calderon criticized lawmakers for failing to enact sensible gun laws as well as screenings to keep mentally ill people from being able to buy "military grade weapons",^[8] and he criticized the National Rifle Association (NRA)^[6] and their spokesperson Dana Loesch for encouraging gun proliferation^[10] as well as politicians funded by the NRA. He said that student voices were not being taken seriously enough.^[11] He described a proposal of arming teachers to further school safety as a "terrible idea", explaining that teachers were never meant to carry lethal weapons.^[12][13] He views his advocacy as more than merely protecting Parkland students but as an effort to save human lives in general.^[14] He believes that it is up to the electorate to vote out politicians who support lax gun regulations and the NRA.^[7]

During the school shooting, he was locked in a closet with fellow students for three to four hours.^[8][11]

I was in a closet, locked for four hours with people who I would consider almost family, crying and weeping on me, begging for their lives. I understand what it’s like to text my parents, ‘Goodbye, I might never ever, ever get to see you again. I love you.’ I understand what it’s like to fear for your life.

— Alfonso Calderon, February 22, 2018^[15]

Notes

1. In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Calderón and the second or maternal family name is Atienzar.