ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There is more momentum than ever for the March for Our Lives rally held on Saturday.

More than 450 marches are happening across the country and even internationally, including several throughout the Bay area.

Hundreds of people marched in downtown St. Petersburg for the March for Our Lives rally.

The first March for Our Lives rally was in 2018 in response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland.

The march in St. Pete, held at North Straub Park, was hosted by the Women’s Advocacy Group of Pinellas, with the help of High School Resistance and Moms Demand Action.

This is seven-year-old Noah’s first march. His mother wanted to bring him.

“I wanted him to know that we are not alone, and there are other people in our community who feel as strongly as we do about this, and that when people use their voices, we can make a difference and it doesn’t always work, but at least we know we’ve really tried,” said Meredith Gaunce, who is participating in the march.

It’s a shared sentiment among those marching at Straub Park.

“We were at a march after Parkland, and nothing has changed, and we’re still here, and we’re still marching, and we don’t want our kids to live in this kind of world anymore,” said Joann Burnett, a parent. “You know, it’s pretty terrifying for parents to think about sending their kids to school, and you know, my 3-year-old is having active shooter drills. Enough is enough. We need people to make reasonable common-sense changes.”

At the center of this rally is a memorial with a stake for each of the children and two teachers killed in Uvalde, Texas.

”It’s a very emotional time, and my heart goes out to the parents who have had to deal with this in a very close way, and in ways that they should never have to,” said Gaunce. “So, I hope this is the beginning of some big changes.”

But they say hope springs eternal, and despite all of the tragedy and frustration, it’s blooming at the march.

“I hope they pass some laws to restrict who can have access to guns and they can figure out a way to protect our kids,” Gaunce said.

Noah and his friends are holding signs at the march, and soon, they will bravely go to school and participate in their active shooter drills, and their parents will continue to march and fight to keep them safe, hoping their efforts will bring change.