Richmond citizens peacefully marched to the courthouse today to speak out on racial injustice in America.
Guest Speakers like Mayor Blythe and RPD Chief Ebert took to the stand and addressed the plaguing injustice that has cost many African Americans their lives. WBONtv caught footage of the historical event, and even managed to interview one of the minds behind organizing the march. Richmond City Commissioner Jason Morgan, spoke with us and had a lot of positive words regarding the march.
Many guest speakers took to the podium at the courthouse today but among the politicians and other officials, Slam Poet Kamau Baruti spoke to the crowd about the transgressions towards the black community. He later spoke with WBONtv and further discussed the inequality of the era.
Berea City Councilor Emily LaDouceur issued the following statement to WBONtv regarding the march:
“Like everyone else, I have been marching and protesting recently to make my desire for justice known and state that black lives matter. But I want to be clear, there have been generations of influence that have led up to the unjust killings of black and brown people we see today. The scourge that was slavery helped shape the systems we all participate in today. These systems are not broken, they are working exactly as they were designed. They were designed to reward some while punishing others and we see it play out every day…
We know that upon entering school, black and brown children are watched by teachers 4x as much as their white peers.
We know that while black and white children display the same behavioral challenges in school, white children are more likely to be diverted into mental healthcare while black children are diverted into the prison system.
We know that black and white people do drugs and deal drugs at the same rates, but black people are incarcerated at incredibly disproportionate rates for non-violent crimes and our cash bail system keeps them there.
We know that practices like redlining prevented black families from having the same generational wealth as their white counterparts.
We know that black and white parents abuse and neglect their children at the same rates, but black children are disproportionately ripped from their homes, finding themselves in the child welfare system where the trauma of family separation impacts their life outcomes.
We know that black women are 4x more likely to die during/after childbirth and receive lackluster healthcare compared to their white peers.
We know the lack of representation of black and brown people in school, in politics, in media, and more due to biases negatively impacts how those who are underrepresented are seen and treated by the world.
I could go on and on but I *hope* you get the point.
We know these things…you can google them and find the data and information easily. Until we start to address these systemic issues related to race, we will continue to see tragedies like the deaths of Aumahd Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd at alarming rates.
It begins at home. It begins by opening ourselves to the lived experiences of others. It begins when we stop denying the aforementioned truths. And it begins when we let our black and brown neighbors breathe. Breathe while barbecuing, breathe while driving, breathe while jogging, etc etc etc.
This doesn’t mean we don’t hold people accountable for their actions. It means we give the same benefit of the doubt to every person, suspending judgement the same way no matter who is in front of us. For white people, it doesn’t mean you have to feel guilty for being white or for not realizing all this time that not everyone has been moving through the world with the same level of carefree as you. And it doesn’t mean you haven’t had your fair share of struggles, too. Being defensive is normal but does not make us better.
I only want us to be better and being better means recognizing that racism not only exists, but permeates every corner of our lives. It is a freedom to merely be learning about it, not living it. Our collective liberation cannot be realized without tapping into and cultivating what I refer to as our “empathic humanity” – listening and learning one another so deeply we feel compelled to elevate each other together.
Participating in these protests and seeing everyone’s empathic humanity in real time has made me hopeful for the future. I’m proud of my community and will continue to stand with you and next to you as we get better together.”
