Students Attend Black Lives Matter Protest in NYC
Students march in black lives matter protests ACROSS new york city – Photo courtesy of jada grant
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has been a prominent part of American society since the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012. The movement advocates for the equal treatment of Black people in the United States, with a specific focus on ending brutality and racism within police forces. The death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who was killed by a police officer this past May, incited pro- tests across the country. Activists also organized protests in the name of Breonna Taylor, an unarmed Black woman who was killed by the police this past March while she was sleeping in her home.
The current era of Black Lives Matter is one of the largest public movements in U.S. history—more than 21 million adults in the Unit- ed States have reported attending a BLM protest in June alone. It continues to be fueled by the millions of voices crying out against the injustices committed against Black people across America.
Commenting on the BLM movement, Sophomore Madisyn Cunningham said, “There was definitely a build up. When the same thing happens for so long, there is bound to be a bigger response to it.”
Cunningham has been an active member of the BLM movement, attending protests and joining the student-founded organization Black Students Demanding Change (BSDC). BSDC works to represent Black students within NYC private schools.
The organization sent out a list of demands, to which Riverdale has committed itself, outlining ways to support Black students on an institutional level. Cunningham encourages those who can get out and protest to do so, explaining, “It was very powerful to be there with a group of people who believe the same thing [. . .] It is time to show people that this needs to end.”
Junior Maya Fernando also attended a BLM protest in NYC in June. She attributes the record numbers of protesters to the documentation of George Floyd’s death. Fernando said, “The increasing amount of videoing of these deaths allows them to spread widely on social media.
Seeing the problem affects people in a different way than just hearing about it.” Social media has also brought about a rise in performative activism, activism done as a means of increasing social clout. In response to performative activism, Fernando advocates for action: “Do the work to support BIPOC people. Learn what it means to be an ally. Reading about anti-racism is not the same as being anti-racist. Action must follow.”
Activism can and must continue during the school year. River- dale has taken the first step by creating environments to promote anti-racism. Anti-racism is the conscious effort to make the world more equitable for minority groups through action. AWARE (Association for White Anti-Racists Everywhere) works to teach students how to do just this. AWARE meets during the affinity period on Fridays and discusses ways for White Riverdale students to become aware of and use their privilege to be effective allies.
However, there is always more work to be done. Susan Polise, Dean of the Class of 2022 and an Upper School Spanish teacher, has made an effort to educate her- self on how to promote anti-racist thinking in the institutions that she participates in. She explained, “We,
as an institution, need to stop be- ing reactionary. We need to rethink the way we educate and act. It is not enough to say ‘this is what we need to do.’ We need to do it.” Ms. Polise spoke with the community engagement team to partner up and create an anti-racist curriculum for this school year. As dean of the junior class, Ms. Polise wants to educate her students on the ramifications of using language such as AAVE (African American Vernacular English) and instances of cultural appropriation. She hopes to use grade meetings as spaces to begin this work and wants students to continue to have these conversations in their advisory groups.
Riverdale’s participation in the Black Lives Matter movement be- gins with fostering an anti-racist environment. Activism is not easy, but it can begin with something as simple as supporting the Black students in our community and learn- ing about their unique struggles. You can also attend an AWARE meeting or support movements for change within the Riverdale community, such as Diversify Our Narrative, which is working to foster a curriculum that is representative of all of Riverdale’s students. Do not be a bystander to instances of racial injustice within our community, because they do happen.
Black people are not a monolith; the type of support needed may vary along with the willing- ness to share pain and experiences with others. This is not a time to be defensive. It is a time to listen. It is a time to reflect. It is a time to grow.
