Long Island marches for Black Lives Matter
Photo courtesy of Hannah Merwin
The Long Island community came together for a peaceful protest at the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola on Sunday, June 14, in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has been sweeping the nation.
About 400 people of all races, genders and ages were in attendance that afternoon, and roughly half were children and teens. Many protesters carried signs, and extras were provided for those who did not bring one.
The protest was organized and run by activist Alethea Shapiro. After a march down a main street in Mineola, Shapiro expressed, “We are here to show Long Island that Black lives matter!”
Protesters chanting in front of the Nassau County Courthouse
Protesters were active in the march, chanting and joining in for displays of kindness and power. One protestor, 21-year-old Sabrina Sayed, a rising senior at Washington University in St. Louis, was very passionate about the cause. “We have a problem in this country, and it’s important for me to be here, to do my part and my duty for my Black brothers, sisters and neighbors,” Sayed said.
The event was labeled as a “family protest”,” and dance performances by young Black youth took place at the end of the march. Reading lists were handed out with books that could serve as starting points for talking to kids about racism.
“I think it’s really important for children to be a part of this because you need to start as young as possible,” Sayed said. “We need to educate everybody.”
To conclude the protest, Shapiro left the crowd with encouraging words: “We gathered here today to say that we stand with, and we have love for, our Black neighbors on Long Island, across America and across the world. We cannot forget those who lost their lives because of police brutality in this country, but the Black Lives Matter movement goes beyond just police brutality. It is about systemic racism, oppression, inequality and mass incarceration. It is dismantling white supremacy. It is demanding equal justice, quality education, business opportunities and home ownership. We need people to understand all the inequalities that Black people and people of color experience in this country, and I think the first step in being a good ally is to educate yourself in what those are, which is what you all have done here today.”