After the Aug. 3 mass shooting left 22 dead and dozens more injured at a local Walmart next to Cielo Vista mall, the city rallied around a phrase-El Paso strong. The El Paso High community shared their thoughts on what such phrase means to them.

Allen Leinberger

“To me really means the members of our community coming together and offering their support to one another, to be able to come together and show that we are stronger than the people who have committed these atrocities in our community. I feel like the community can come together and build back up and so that we are strong-El Paso strong.”

Mr. Loya

“To me it means to be a community to stand together against crime, and to just be a big loving city instead of separate parts of the city.”

Julia Ferrett

 “To me it means that the city is united in ways that other cities cannot compare to because it’s showing the importance of strength in hard times.”

Coach Ighnat

“It shows kindness and generosity of El Pasoans coming together in a time of great need.”

Sofia Herrera

“It shows that nothing will hurt us and we’ll be strong no matter what comes our way.”

Eden Valenzuela

“I think its a way for the community to show that we’re strong no matter what happens to us.”

Regina Orozco

“It’s an amazing thing to see a community so united considering I just moved to El Paso.”

Autumn Williams

“It means us getting together closer than we were before. We’re getting closer than we have ever been, after such a tragic event and it’s just showing you the love, care and culture of our city.”

Oiram Duenas Valles

“That we are a strong community and that we love each other and know how to get through these hard times together.”