What Does Fierce Kindness Look Like? Ask X González
What does kindness look like when something terrible has happened? Does it whisper or roar? Does it stay silent, or speak truth that shakes the world? For X González, kindness was never about staying quiet. It was about stepping forward, using empathy as armour, and demanding fairness, not just for themselves, but for everyone.
At just 18 years old, X stood up in the aftermath of tragedy and became a powerful voice for change. Not because they wanted attention, but because they believed that no one should feel unsafe at school, in their identity, or in their community. That kind of belief takes heart. And heart is exactly what X brings.
This is the story of how one teenager turned heartbreak into hope, and why Zorzle celebrates them as a changemaker who proves that kindness can be fierce.
A Student With Something to Say
In 2018, X González was a high school senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when a mass shooting stole the lives of 17 people, students, teachers, friends. It was a moment that shattered the hearts of a community and made headlines around the world.
But while others were still frozen in shock, X stepped up to a microphone at a rally just days later, and gave a speech that no one could ignore.
Their voice cracked with emotion. Their words were sharp, honest, and unforgettable. They named names, asked questions, and ended their speech with something no one expected: a full 6 minutes and 20 seconds of silence, the same amount of time the shooter had taken to change their lives forever.
X stood there in stillness, tears rolling down their cheeks, refusing to let the world forget. It wasn’t just a moment of grief. It was a moment of leadership, and the beginning of a movement.
Marching Forward With Millions
After that powerful speech, X didn’t stop. They helped lead the creation of March for Our Lives, a youth-led organisation calling for stronger gun laws, community safety, and political accountability. What started as a protest turned into a national conversation, then a global one.
X travelled the country speaking at rallies, meeting with lawmakers, and inspiring thousands of young people to raise their own voices. But they didn’t just talk about gun violence, they talked about everything that feeds into it: racism, poverty, mental health, exclusion, and fear.
They made it clear: to fix injustice, we have to look at the whole picture. And we have to listen to the people who are most affected, especially young people.
A Voice For Everyone Left Out
X González isn’t only an activist, they’re also proudly non-binary and bisexual. And they’ve never shied away from speaking about what it’s like to live in a world where those identities are often misunderstood or mistreated.
They’ve used every interview, every speech, and every platform to remind people that fairness isn’t real unless it includes everyone, spoken about how LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to feel unsafe at school. And they’ve pushed for laws that protect all kinds of families. And they’ve never let fear stop them from being fully themselves.
Their empathy reaches across groups, identities, and causes, because they know that when we fight for each other, we all win.
Sometimes a Fierce Kindness is Needed
At Zorzle, we talk a lot about kindness. But not just the soft, sit-down-and-smile kind. We believe in kindness that stands up. Kindness that defends. Kindness that demands fairness.
That’s what X González lives every day.
They show us that:
- Kindness can speak loudly.
- Kindness can show up angry, because it cares deeply.
- Kindness can lead, organise, and refuse to back down.
- X has shown that kindness can be strength.
What Zorzle Kids Can Learn from X
X’s story reminds us that:
- You’re never too young to demand fairness.
- Your feelings matter, and they can be the fuel for change.
- You don’t have to be polite to be kind. You just have to care.
Listening is powerful but so is speaking out when others can’t. X didn’t wait for someone to give them permission. They stepped into their power and brought thousands of others with them.
And you can do that too.
Kindness Challenge: Speak for Safety
This week’s mission: Create your own kindness speech or poster about something that feels unfair.
- What would you change in your school, your street, or the whole world?
- Make a poster, write a poem, or record yourself giving a short speech (just 30 seconds is enough!)
- Share it with a friend, a teacher, or even send it to Zorzle! We’d love to highlight youth voices just like X’s.
Even if your voice shakes. Even if your heart races. Say the thing that needs to be said, that’s what real kindness does.
X González didn’t ask to be a changemaker. But when the world needed one, they answered the call, with empathy, fire, and incredible courage.
Join the Zorzle Conversation
We’d love you to be part of the Zorzle conversation. Together, we’re exploring how kindness, curiosity, courage and laughter can shape the world around us and the one our children will inherit.
Come and join us on Substack for more stories, ideas and conversations. Or settle in with the Love, Laughter & Kindness podcast as we meet people, share experiences and explore what a kinder future could look like.
