ENCINITAS — A big yellow school bus arrived Wednesday morning at Swami’s Seaside Park with a mission to “Stop Gun Violence” written all over it.
In 2018, Manny and Patricia Oliver lost their son, Joaquin “Guac” Oliver, one of 17 victims in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. In light of what would’ve been their son’s twenty-third birthday, the Olivers hit the road on a cross-country road trip, nicknamed the “Guacathon,” to advocate for gun violence prevention.
“This is the best choice we could have made,” Patricia said. “Having Joaquin going all the way through the United States and sending his love and messages of hope, strength, and fight. This is the best way to celebrate his twenty-third birthday, which will come on August 4.”
The Olivers are taking “Guac’s Magical Bus Tour,” which started in Parkland near the site of the shooting and is going to twenty-three cities across the country to support the families of school shootings in each. Before arriving in Encinitas, the bus stopped in nine other cities.
“They’re supporting people across this country, coming to different places, hearing stories, and raising awareness,” said Stephan Abrams, a supporter and Oliver’s friend. “That’s why I’m so excited we got to come to my hometown in San Diego. My friends have such amazing stories, and I watch them work so hard every single day to reduce and end the epidemic of gun violence, not only in San Diego but across the country.”
Abrams, a national chapter coordinator for Team ENOUGH, had a hand in organizing the San Diego County stop in this tour. The event was arranged to feature other area teams working to end gun violence. Team ENOUGH/Brady Campaign, NeverAgain California, San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention, and Moms Demand Action we all present.
Other advocates are on the bus with them and traveling to 16 more cities, including Columbine, Aurora, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Newtown, Conn. Cameron Kasky, who survived the Parkland shooting, and Samuel Schwartz, who lost his cousin in Parkland, have been traveling with the Olivers on this journey. Both have played a huge part in advocacy work with March for Our Lives, NeverAgain, and Oliver’s nonprofit, Change the Ref.
“On this trip, we’re meeting with people just like us in every single city,” Manny said. “They understand why we cry, why we break down, and they understand why our life is not happy anymore. And they want to raise their voices. All of us are together fighting against gun violence.”
Team “Guacathon” was awarded a certificate of recognition from the office of State Sen. Catherine Blakespear in honor of their work advocating for gun violence prevention at each stop along the way.
“Your dedication to ending gun violence in your son’s memory is a true inspiration,” said Caroline Zdanowski, an intern at Sen. Blakespear’s office and a representative of Team ENOUGH. “By calling people to action to prevent the pervasive problem of gun violence in our country. Your work on this tour brings us closer to safer communities.”
Along with their two stops in San Diego, the other at Waterfront Park in front of City Hall, the Olivers were a part of Comic-Con weekend, having a panel titled “The Change the Ref: Activism Through Fandom” on Thursday afternoon, unveiling a bobblehead of their son to benefit the nonprofit.
The bobblehead also came with a QR code to play a game titled “Remain,” designed to reflect real-life experiences in America using data on gun violence. The goal is to remain alive using shields of gun regulations to decrease the player’s risk level.
The Guac tour will conclude on August 20 in Charleston, South Carolina, after two months on the road advocating for change. The Olivers post updates to their social media platforms to follow their journey.
