Canutillo High Students Take Stand Against Juarez Violence

Armed with knowledge, following a lecture about the bloodshed in Juarez, about 300 Canutillo High School seniors take on the brutality that’s plagued our border city – in their own way with a simple but meaningful message – red hand prints with words calling for peace.

They decorated small signs with blood-red handprints and messages calling for the cruelty to stop.

“If someone does something as a small red hand, it may trigger a chain reaction,” said Dr. Guillermo Cervantes, a professor on both sides of the border.

He says the gesture has power.

“He was shot in the head, once here and another one here,” said Canutillo high school senior, Yvette Rios.

The anti-violence campaign is personal for many students who have been directly affected by the drug violence.

“This is dedicated to my uncle because he was killed in Juarez, just because we didn’t pay what they asked us for, ” said Rios.

Her sign has a personal message to her uncle Chavo, recently killed across the border, “All we want is for this violence to stop because we believe it’s not right that innocent people are just getting killed because they don’t get what they want,” said Rios.

Yvette’s school mate, Daniela Dominguez with a similar story, “He got shot in a bus, he was only doing community service.”

And it’s for all those lives lost.

“Since he’s gone, I’m here to speak up for him,” said Rios.

“We have to speak up and hopefully we’ll inspire others,” said Dominguez.

Students said they’re giving a voice to those who no longer have one.

“Money’s not worth, power’s not worth, lives,” said Rios.