Students from Sammamish High School joined thousands of young people from Bellevue College, Bellevue and Interlake High Schools, and others from across Seattle and the Eastside in walking out of class on Monday.

The Bellevue teenagers all left their classrooms at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 14. Students at Sammamish High School said they walked out of class because they wanted to show their support for minorities, LGBT people, women, immigrants and other groups they felt had been marginalized or insulted by President-elect Donald Trump.

“Our school, we see it as a safe place. After the election, things seemed to be shaken. Divided,” student Melisa Ferati said.

Student Ellie Adams said that she didn’t go to school last Wednesday because she was so upset about the election. Adams, who identified herself as pansexual, said she was concerned about Vice President-Elect Mike Pence and his favorable stance on gay conversion therapy.

“We’re here today to support one another,” she said.

Many students cited the hate crimes and language that have spread over social media in the week since the election in their reasons for marching.

“I’m marching today as a person of color. When people see me or my brothers and walk across the street or look at us funny, it’s hurtful. Why don’t people get to know us? If you know you have a voice that people listen to and that matters, you should use it for good,” said student Tracy Simekah, who is also an immigrant.

The group chanted “Not my president” and “F**k Trump” as they marched. Some drivers honked in support as they passed, while one resident shook his head and remarked, “Jesus, this s**t.”

Many carried handmade signs, some held flags. One student wore a “Black Lives Matter” T-shirt.

Students Maria Flores, Malammah Rubalcaba and their friends held a Mexican flag as they marched down 140th Avenue Northeast. The group said they wanted to show their pride for their heritage in light of the remarks that have been made about Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans. Trump has notoriously referred to some illegal Mexican immigrants as rapists, vowed to build a wall along the United States-Mexico border and deport millions of people.

“We have a racist president. Honestly, before he became president I started to be afraid. My mom is illegal, and it’s hard to think about my mom being forced to leave,” said student Yeny, who did not wish to give her last name due to her mother’s citizenship status. “He doesn’t respect people. But, Trump doesn’t really scare me. It’s the people that voted for him that scare me.”

Sammamish High School students said they walked out of class and marched along 140th Avenue Northeast because they wanted to show their support for minorities, LGBT people, women, immigrants and other groups they felt had been marginalized or insulted by President-elect Donald Trump (Allison DeAngelis/staff photo).

Sammamish student Ellie Adams said that she has seen the impact of the election nationally and locally. “I didn’t come to school on Wednesday because I was so upset about the election. Mostly about the vice president [Pence], who is in favor of gay conversion therapy. I’m pansexual. We’re here today to support one another,” she said (Allison DeAngelis/staff photo).

“We have a racist president. Honestly, before he became president I started to be afraid. My mom is illegal, and it’s hard to think about my mom being forced to leave,” said student Yeny, who did not wish to give her last name due to her mother’s citizenship status.

“We have a racist president. Honestly, before he became president I started to be afraid. My mom is illegal, and it’s hard to think about my mom being forced to leave,” said student Yeny, who did not wish to give her last name due to her mother’s citizenship status.