Towns march for racial justice

Manor, Roscoe join nationwide protests

By Demi Budd | Manor Ink

Livingston Manor, NY – Eight minutes and 46 seconds. That is how long officer Derek Chauvin pinned his knee down on George Floyd’s neck. Within those eight minutes and 46 seconds, Floyd pleaded for his mother and cried that “everything hurts.” In that time, he spoke his final words, a phrase that would sweep the nation, turning America upside down in just a few days.

“I can’t breathe.”

George Floyd’s death was like the match thrown into a puddle of gasoline. Police brutality and racism have both been an unfortunate reality over the years, the latter being a centuries-old problem. The two issues walk hand-in-hand more often than not. Brutally injuring and killing innocent people because of their skin color has been a devastating norm for years.

With this in mind, Floyd’s death was not an isolated incident – it was the breaking point. Though this tragedy took place in Minneapolis, people all over the US (and outside the US) have come together through Black Lives Matter protests for reforms and justice for the lives taken by police brutality, and sometimes those protests lead to rioting. There is a very notable difference between protests and riots, however.

Protests are peaceful. They include sign-holding, marching and chanting. Riots, on the other hand, are violent. They lead to scenes of burning buildings, windows being shattered, property being destroyed, etc. Unfortunately, it’s riots that are most often presented on the news and Internet. Seeing a peaceful protest on TV is far more unlikely than seeing the local Target getting burned down.

Both these actions, despite their different approaches, spread the same message – a desire for change, not just in policing, but in society as a whole. Even here in the Livingston Manor, a peaceful protest was held – entirely organized by Livingston Manor Central School students.

The idea was sparked by freshman Sienna Dutcher, who formed a large group chat on the social media app Snapchat. She laid out her plan and asked who would be willing to participate. Many students were all for it, and thus the planning began.

“We felt that the town needed to voice its support for the Black Lives Matter movement, so we organized the protest through social media,” Dutcher explained.

A march and vigil

One of the students who organized the protest was Manor Ink’s editor-in-chief, Osei Helper.

He was tasked with finding a place to hold a planned vigil after the march. This proved to be a bit more difficult than anticipated, but Osei was persistent. He found areas where there were buildings by usable lots, and he contacted those people. When one was unable to give access to an open area, Osei would then find the next person to ask.

“It was like a big chain of people to contact,” he explained.

Osei got in touch with Meg McNeil, owner of Upstream Wine & Spirits on Main Street. He and McNeil initially thought the event could be held in the parking lot at Renaissance Park, but Supervisor Rob Eggleton expressed concern about the safety of the participants. It was then that the vigil was moved to the Catskill Brewery’s field on Old Rte. 17. By then, the day of the protest – Saturday, June 6 – was fast approaching. Word spread rapidly over social media, and soon, hundreds of people knew about it.

Before the event began, sophomore Willa Schweitzer, who was also heavily involved in its planning, said, “It just got bigger and bigger once we shared the idea for the march on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. It looks like we’ll have a great turnout today.”

Under bright skies that morning, march participants gathered in front of the Livingston Manor Free Library on Main Street. The crowd soon swelled to several hundred people, and Helper said he felt a bit nervous at first.

“There were a lot of people, and I thought, ‘Oh, I’m about to lead this.’ It was a little nerve-wracking. Police showing up was a worry as well. Not for myself, but because there were a lot of people. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to a bunch of people who came here.”

Help from the police

While officers from the Sheriff’s Department did appear, they came intending to help. They allowed protesters to march in the road as opposed to on the sidewalks, which would have overflowed with the sheer number of people who were there. They also directed traffic and let the protesters know when it was safe to cross intersections.

Though none of the organizers had contacted the police or the fire department – the LMFD was also there – beforehand, the action proceeded without a problem. “It was a nice surprise to see that they came to help!” said Helper.

After the march down Main Street and up Rock Avenue, the vigil on the Catskill Brewery’s field was held. An 8-minute-and-46-second silence was held in honor of George Floyd. Organizers also took turns speaking through a shared megaphone. Gem Helper, Osei’s sister, read an essay she prepared beforehand, Willa Schweitzer read a poem she wrote, and Kira Helper, Osei and Gem’s aunt, read off the names of 63 unarmed black people who were killed by police.

“This is what Livingston Manor is becoming, and I think it’s something to celebrate!” Kira said during her remarks, and after the audience broke into applause, she added, “Thoughts and prayers don’t create change. Today is a day for change!”

According to rough head counts, over 300 people attended the march, and even then, people joined in as the march processed. At the vigil site, over 400 people were counted. Schweitzer was right – the turnout was massive.

“It felt really good that so many people were willing to come to protest the cause,” she said. “I felt like I did something – something that would help make a change.”

Creating a memorial After the protest, with the Brewery’s permission, Osei Helper and a few family members took the potted flowers that marchers had carried during the protest and planted them in the field. The pots had been painted with the names of police brutality victims. The Helpers were assisted by Dutcher, Schweitzer and her family, and Kia Haering. Plant markers with the names of the victims are in the works as a replacement for the pots.

Following march and vigil, Osei was expansive about leading such a large-scale event. “I get home and I wash my hands – you have to stay hygienic!” he said, with a laugh. “I’m thinking to myself, ‘Dang, we just did that.’ It was just an overall positive experience. I was so proud of what we organized, who came, and who couldn’t come but still showed support. ”

And, indeed, this protest is something that all of the organizers and protesters were proud of. An event organized solely by a group of students who wanted to make a change evolved into something much bigger, and its impact is one that will not be forgotten.

Why do we protest? One Manor organizer explains

By Osei Helper | Manor Ink

These questions were put to LMCS freshman Sienna Dutcher following the June 6 BLM protest in Livingston Manor. It was Dutcher who initially inspired the action.

Why did it matter to you that you organize a protest march in Livingston Manor?
I wanted to provide a voice to those in our town who are unable to attend larger protests. This town is also littered with Trump signs and Confederate flags. We needed to show tourists and people passing through that this town is made of so much more than the sentiments those signs convey.

Why is dismantling racism important to you?
Dismantling systematic racism should be important to everyone. If this is not a priority of yours, you have to rethink your values. I cannot live in a country where institutionalized racism, police brutality and police murders are accepted. I want to help rebuild this country for a better future, and that means we have to disassemble these systems of oppression, whether it be police, education, healthcare, infrastructure, social work or the economic hierarchy. At the end of the day, I want equality for all, but that starts with recognizing your own privilege and using it to help those without.

Looking back on the protest march and the enthusiastic participation of people, what does this mean to you?
It was quite an emotional day for me. The march has really given me hope. We did have a few middle fingers, aggressive truck revving and yelling directed at the protesters, but it’s just a reminder that hate exists all around us, and we have to fight that much harder. I’m very proud of our community for showing that small town America is changing, and it really put in perspective how some small ideas you have can impact others so much. Most of all, this march showed me that my voice is important, and that we should continue to spread our opinions, sign petitions and donate for a better future.

Roscoe lets its voice be heard

By Osei Helper | Manor Ink

On Sunday, June 21, there was a protest march in Roscoe. It started at noon on the corner of Stewart and Railroad avenues. There were approximately 70 people who participated. Everyone wore masks and there were water bottles and hand sanitizer for the attendees.

The protest started with a gathering around the O&W Railroad Museum. Lia Di Bitonto, the organizer, asked several people to come up and speak about issues they’ve faced, witnessed or anything they wanted to say regarding the BLM movement.

After the comments, the march started. The protestors walked through town, chanting rallying cries such as “Black lives matter” and “No justice, no peace,” until they returned to their original spot.

Following the main protest, photos were taken underneath the Rte. 17 overpass. A few participants stayed afterwards and were given flags of several different African countries.

Overall, the Roscoe action was a very informative and moving experience. I don’t go to the Roscoe Central School, so I don’t know what kind of experiences black students have there, but after hearing some of their stories, my mind was very much opened to what’s happening right here in our county. It was quite a great experience.