I kept watching the video over and over again. I kept thinking this is not right, why is it happening, how can someone as young as I do something about it. I couldn’t sleep as I continued to think and replayed George Floyd’s voice in my head saying “I can’t breathe”. Over lunch with my mother, I shared how I felt and discussed how helpless I felt. I then came to realize I have the power of my voice and that is a power we all have no matter what age. Right then and there I decided I wanted to use my voice and organize a protest. I live in a small conservative town. I knew there were many youth as myself who felt the same way, yet apprehensive of doing anything. Also there were protests around the country that were faced with violence and that was also a fear. On top of that we were in the middle of a pandemic. I knew I had to take the step forward and see what happened, as we need to share our voice.
I share this not to pat myself on the back for leading a Black Lives Matter protest. I cringe even thinking of that. I am sharing this to let you know, yes if you put your mind to it you can do anything! That was my mantra as I took each step anxiously. Will people show up, will they be safe, will the local businesses be affected, and most important will our voices be heard? If you are passionate about something take a step forward and it will come together. It’s easy to do anything even if you don’t know how to do it because of your passion, as you will find your strength. It took three days of hardwork to make sure this protest was safe and successful. From setting up meetings with La Verne’s Chief of police and the police department, getting the word out, and giving the Mayor of La Verne an opportunity to speak with his community. I was very nervous about doing this because I have not taken up a leadership position that required work at this large of a scale. It was a very new experience for me. It really filled my heart to have so many people reaching out to support and help with making this event successful. People wanted to do something, but didn’t know how. I may have created the platform for them, but they did the work by bringing their voices together. As cheesy as this might sound, anything is possible! The youth in the community came together sharing the details of the protest through their social media, brought signs, provided water and snacks, and so much more. It is estimated that over 800 people came to protest peacefully, marched down the main street of La Verne, and felt free to share their stories with the community. It was amazing to see this small conservative town (that has never had a protest before) come together and fight for what they believed in. When you have something you want to do and don’t know how or feel powerless, remember this story, take the step you fear, as regret will feel much worse.
The following is the speech with which I opened the protest…
Hello my name is Grace Aprahamian and I would like to thank all of you for coming. We are here to bring our voices together in solidarity. I would also like to thank the La Verne Police Department for partnering with us to exercise our first amendment rights with peace and safety. I was overwhelmed with emotion when I spoke with Chief Paz as he and the rest of the LVPD shared their support for this protest and our message.
I am only one voice of many who did not know what to do to help and make a difference. I am definitely not one with all the knowledge of social injustice, nor have I experienced what my black brothers and sisters do.
What I do have, and what every single one of you have, is a voice. One of the most powerful tools to use to make a difference, and here we are bringing our community together as one, loud, strong, beautiful, voice.
We are the next generation who will be leaders, and in vocations with power, to bring injustice to light, and leave injustice in the past, and not bring it with us to the future. We must keep conversations alive, even when it feels uncomfortable, because silence is consent. We need to be role models for the young and the old.
Many of us including myself have white privilege, and that privilege makes us blind to these injustices because it is not a problem that is personal to us. We don’t experience the fears, the anxieties, the prejudice, and violence that our white privilege protects us from. Our mothers don’t have the same fears as black mothers do when their children walk out the door.
How can we let this continue to happen? Why does this hate continue to fester? Together we need to find resolution to these questions. As the youth of the future we start today, and never let it go until racism is eradicated.
“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” That is why we are here today…Thank you.
Now let’s all kneel in silence for the next 8 minutes and 46 seconds. The same amount of time George Floyd endured a knee to his neck leading him to his unjust death.
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