Young activists protest racism police brutality in Grand Rapids ‘Kids March'

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Some of West Michigan's youngest activists took to the streets of Grand Rapids Saturday morning to share their pleas for racial equality and police reform.

The "Justice for Black Lives: Kids March" led families through downtown Grand Rapids and was followed by snacks, face painting and a dance party on Saturday, June 20.

The protest was an opportunity for kids in Grand Rapids to take part in the nationwide protests against police brutality – but in a safe and friendly way.

"We've had a lot of protests and rallies that are more adult focused, but they're not always the best place to bring their kiddos, especially 12 and under," said Rori Harris, co-leader for the event. "We felt it was important for them to be able to raise their voices and be apart of this history."

For many families, the rally was an opportunity to teach their young children about systemic inequality in a kid-friendly way.

Grand Rapids resident Susan Karanja said she marched Saturday to create a better world for her young son.

"My husband moved here when he was 12 and I witness the racism he faces everyday and I don't want my 10-month-old son, Malachi, to grow up in that world," Karanja said.

Siblings Hayilee and Tarinady Lewis shared their views on racial equality simply as, "Be kind."

"Color doesn't matter at all, you should just be kind to everyone," said Tarinady Lewis, 7.

"We want to inspire people to know that it doesn't matter what race or color you are, it matters what personality you have," said Hayilee Lewis, 9.

The Saturday morning protest was a family-friendly extension of a march the evening before in Grand Rapids, titled "March for Black Lives! March for Unity!"

Shouts of "No justice, no peace" and "Black lives matter" filled the streets surrounding Rosa Parks Circle Friday, June 19, as attendees protested police brutality on the same day as Juneteenth, a national day to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

Protests have sprung up around the country in recent weeks after the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

His death sparked nationwide protests and riots, including in Grand Rapids, over police brutality and systemic racism, and ignited a movement to change how America's cities are policed.

RELATED: 'No justice, no peace:' Thousands gather in Grand Rapids to protest police brutality

Protesters and activist groups have said they've been pleased with Grand Rapids Police Department, which has announced plans to ban chokeholds, increasing efforts to emphasize de-escalation techniques and strengthening community relations.

However, Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Payne said Friday he is concerned that budget cuts to his department being discussed by some residents and elected officials could hurt community safety.

More on MLive:

'Bridging the divide:' Juneteenth celebrations, rallies fill Grand Rapids with Black Unity

What protesters, community activists are saying about Grand Rapids police reforms

Grand Rapids police chiefs says 'significant' cuts being discussed could impact community safety

George Floyd Death: Minnesota Youth Activists Express Outrage, Fear Over Police Brutality

Komentar

Posting Komentar

Postingan populer dari blog ini

'It's gone': What the loss of summer camp means for kids

Gambar
NEW YORK (AP) — It wasn't just the leadership opportunities or seeing his best friends or even escaping months stuck at home because of the coronavirus pandemic that had Rory Sederoff thinking 2020 would be one of his best summers ever. This would have been the Toronto teenager's 15th year at Camp Walden, a sleepaway camp in upstate New York where he has spent every summer since he was 3 months old. He had already started rehearsing the speech he was going to give at the end-of-summer banquet, and imagined the exact tree by the waterfront that he would pick to be named in his honor. For 14-year-old Rory, whose parents work at Walden, camp is where he feels most like himself — disconnected from screens and open to new opportunities. "This summer, I would do many things that I won't really be able to do again," he said. "It's a summer filled with opportunities that now won't happen. There's no way to get
Baca selengkapnya

SEMBO Block Empires Of Steel Military Renault FT-17 Tank Building Blocks Model Compatible legoingly set Bricks toys for Children

Gambar
SEMBO Block Empires Of Steel Military Renault FT-17 Tank Building Blocks Model Compatible legoingly set Bricks toys for Children The best product you are looking for is "SEMBO Block Empires Of Steel Military Renault FT-17 Tank Building Blocks Model Compatible legoingly set Bricks toys for Children" . This product is available and ready to be purchased. Get attractive discounts every time you shop in our store (aliexpress.com). Aliexpress also provides a coupon of $ 3 for the first buyer to shop there. don't forget to bookmark our store page so you can go shopping again anytime.. Product Details Name Details Buy now just US $22.58 US $11.29 Discount 50% Product id 4000270168712 Vendor Category Building - Building Buy Now On Aliexpress Building Building Building Building Description
Baca selengkapnya

Kids Clothier French Toast Pioneers a Pandemic-Era Necessity: The Socially Distanced Photo Shoot

Now that the United States has begun to reopen, apparel brands are hoping for the return of shoppers—and perhaps even permitting themselves to think optimistically about their autumn collections. After all, fall is just around the corner, and many shoppers start looking for chilly weather clothing as early as July. But as with so many other facets of business, the pandemic hasn't just changed shopping patterns but marketing, too. Few brands are feeling that shift as acutely as French Toast. As a maker of accessibly priced school clothes for kids, the 35-year-old label stakes much of its vitality on back-to-school shopping. And since parents will start thinking about school clothes in just a few weeks, now's the time to get the creative work done, since it's all scheduled to go live on June 30. The question was: Where do you even begin? Nobody's sure when kids will be heading back to school, much less what school's going to look like once they g
Baca selengkapnya