HOUSTON — Hours after the Uvalde, Texas elementary school shooting there was candlelight vigil in downtown Houston.
People gathered to honor the victims and demand change, including activists, children and politicians like Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
While the group of people was diverse, they all shared one common message emphasizing the urgency when it comes to gun safety legislation, saying that school shootings are everyone's problem.
"This is not Democrat, this is not Republican...this is our babies," Kathy Blueford-Daniels, a Houston ISD trustee said. "And y'all ought to be mad as hell! Everybody ought to be mad as hell, 'cause we can't keep doing this."
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In addition to calling for renewed dialogue about gun access, the group called on the NRA to cancel its annual meeting, which is set to take place Friday at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Big names in politics, including Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Greg Abbott are set to speak at the event.
Meanwhile, notable Houstonians like Trae Tha Truth are stepping up to help.
The Houston rapper posted on Instagram last night asking people to help connect him to some of the victims' families, wanting to assist them with funeral expenses.
For those asking how you can help the victims and their families, currently, the best way to help is by donating blood.
In the Houston area, you can donate blood to the Red Cross.
South Texas' primary blood bank, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, has also organized a blood drive in Uvalde at the Herby Ham Activity Center.
The Community Foundation of Texas Hill Country, a nonprofit based northwest of San Antonio, has started a relief fund for the victims and their families, as well as others affected by the Uvalde shooting.