Even during the most challenging times in history, it's important to highlight those who are continuing to follow their dreams and take strides to make the world a better place. Because of that, each month, Seventeen is honoring one young person as a Voice of Change, someone who is making a difference in their community and the world at large.
LaTayla Billingslea was only in middle school when she learned, firsthand, how debilitating the emotional effects of gun violence can be. Her cousin Jasmine, a mother of two, was fatally shot when trying to escape from an intimate partner. The shooter was later acquitted on charges with a “Stand Your Ground” defense, which allows an individual to use deadly force in response to threat, even if they are able to retreat from the situation. Gun control activists argue that the law encourages violence, and only heightens the likelihood of unlawful injury or murder.
LaTayla’s cousin and her family never received the justice they deserved. LaTayla was left to not only grieve the senseless killing of her cousin, but worry if and when a similar situation could affect her family again. “I was overrun with emotions pertaining to her death, and wondering if it could happen to her, it could happen to anyone. It could happen to me, or my mother, or somebody else that I'm very close to,” she shared.
By the time she entered high school, LaTayla was determined to turn her pain into action. The Atlanta-based teen joined her local Students Demand Action chapter, which is a constituent of the Everytown for Gun Safety network. The organization provided her with the resources to meet and collaborate with other survivors, and work towards lessening instances of gun violence, especially among people of color. Now as a 17-year-old senior in high school, LaTayla is an active member of the chapter and serves as an advisory board member. She helped register more than 100,000 young voters in the 2020 election, and through Students Demand Action’s Survivor Engagement Working Group, assists in the coordination of events for National Gun Violence Survivors Week, which is the first week in February.
On top of being a full-time high school student and committed activist, LaTayla is involved in Jared’s Heart of Success — a community-based mentorship program — HOSA-Future Health Professionals, and the Future Business Leaders of America. It is because of all this and her express dedication to her community that LaTayla is being recognized as a Seventeen Voice of Change.
17: How did you initially get involved in activism?
LaTayla Billingslea: I initially got involved after the death of my cousin, Jasmine. Over the course of a year or so, I [was] overcome with negative emotions. After learning about Students Demand Action and their mission to end gun violence, I decided to get involved as a proactive way to channel my emotions, to do something that can help people. Being in the gun violence prevention movement, I like to think that I'm creating a better future for the people who come after me. I don't want anybody else to go through what my family and I have gone through.
17: What involves being an advisory board member for Students Demand Action?
LB: First off, you have to have general leadership skills. You are helping other student leaders within the organization grow and strengthen their own skills, through the training and mentorship that you offer. You also have to be invested in your local chapter, in order to achieve success on a national level as well.
17: What are some projects that you're most proud of achieving with Students Demand Action?
LB: One of the bigger initiatives that I [and] multiple Students Demand Action members are very proud of was taking part in the 2020 election cycle and registering 100,000 voters.
One of the things I'm most passionate about is my involvement with the Survivor Engagement Working Group and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group. I identify as a survivor of gun violence but I'm also a part of a minority group, being a Black woman. So working in those two groups, I get to ensure that those students and the people within their communities have the voice that they need, so that they can make the change within their communities and schools.
17: How have you grown as an activist?
LB: In the beginning, I was more hesitant to share my experiences with gun violence. I was also more hesitant to share my thoughts when it comes to certain legislations, and to speak out in general. But through my journey in activism thus far, I've learned that my voice and my commentary has value. What I say can influence someone.
17: How do you balance your activism work with being a full-time high school student?
LB: First things first, I have a planner. It’s an online planner that I use as an app on my phone and laptop. So whenever I have an assignment or a meeting, I'll have it on there as a reminder. For bigger projects, I usually schedule those to be done the day before or two days before [their due date], so I have time to look over everything and make sure that it’s the way I want it to be.
17: What else do you have planned when it comes to your activism?
LB: One thing locally would be to repeal the “Stand Your Ground” law and permit-less carry in Georgia. [Permit-less carry, or “constitutional carry,” is a legislation recently introduced in the Georgia General Assembly, which would eliminate the need for a weapons license.]
17: What is your ultimate career goal?
LB: My ultimate career goal is to be a forensic analyst. Last year, I took a forensics class at my school and got a more in-depth knowledge of what it is. Additionally, I'm in the biotechnology program at my school, and biotechnology and forensics are very intertwined. [I like] to work in a lab setting and see how things are analyzed.
17: What advice do you have for young people looking to get involved in activism?
LB: I would say, see if this is what you want to do. I enjoy working in gun violence prevention, but it can be challenging at times. You have to be really good at balancing your schedule. You also have to know when to say “no.” Within this movement, you have to be conscious of self-care and know what your hard limits are. You need to know that when you approach your limit, not to go past it, because that can be really damaging to your mental and emotional health. Know how much you can take, and how much you can go through or endure. Although there are a lot of good things about this movement, it can be challenging at times — especially if you're a survivor, because there are hard days.
In order to be successful, you have to have a passion for advocacy. It may not be for everyone. I enjoy doing it, even though there are challenging days. I know that I'm someday going to get to the point where I will see some changes.
17: How do you protect your mental and emotional health when it comes to doing this type of work?
LB: One thing I do is journal. I try to journal at least twice a week, considering my schedule. I generally try to do more than that, but just getting my thoughts, feelings and emotions out on paper is very relieving and freeing. But there are multiple self-soothing and self-care techniques that work for different people. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to self care — that's just what works for me.
17: What does being a Voice of Change honoree mean to you?
LB: It means that the work I am doing is making a difference, and that people are seeing what student activists across America are passionate about — we want to keep ourselves alive another day. It means that people understand that student leaders just want to feel safe and secure in our country, and the fight that we're going through to get to that place.
Parts of this interview have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Leah Campano is an Associate Editor at Seventeen, where she covers pop culture, entertainment news, health, and politics. On the weekends, you can probably find her watching marathons of vintage Real Housewives episodes or searching for New York City’s best almond croissants.
