Flint, MI–[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”52″ gal_title=”Candlelight Vigil for Victims of Police Brutality”]
Community members clad in Covid-19 protective face masks gathered at the Chevy Commons on Tuesday to participate in a peaceful candlelight vigil honoring the life of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many other victims of police brutality.
“We chose this place and this time intentionally.” said speaker and event organizer Lashaya Darisaw. It was the same day as George Floyd’s funeral.
Chevy Commons was once the site of Chevrolet Flint Manufacturing, also known as Chevy in the Hole, and was one of the plants where the historic Flint Sit-Down Strike took place.
Darisaw said the strike has lingering lessons to teach us.
“It took strikers of both allies and government officials to create that change. It took everyone working in unison just as it is now in this time of unjust systems against African Americans. It takes allies standing up saying, ‘No you will not hurt my brothers and sisters,’ ‘No you will not hurt my neighbor,’ ‘No!’”
Several other speakers talked systemic oppression of people of color including Mayor Sheldon Neeley, Congressman Dan Kildee, protest organizer Johnie Franklin III, and event organizer Egypt Otis.