March in New York vindicates black women in anti-racist ‘revolution’

By Nora Quintanilla

New York, Jun 12 (efe-epa).- A massive Friday march toured New York from the Trump Tower to the mayor’s official residence, to express their support for black women and claim them at the forefront of the “revolution” that the US is experiencing after two weeks of anti-racist protests over the death of African-American citizen George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer.

“With this march we want to ensure that black women are at the forefront, that we are never forgotten again, that we are not forgotten in politics, that we are not forgotten in any type of reform that is attempted,” explained to EFE one of its organizers, Sophie Pier-Michel, a young activist for the Strategy for Black Lives organization.

Pier-Michel, in front of dozens of people blocking midday traffic on Fifth Avenue, near a Trump Tower hidden behind scaffolding, fences, and police, encouraged “walking to break roofs and barriers” that prevent women from prospering black women and call for “justice” for victims of police brutality and systemic racism, such as young Breonna Taylor.

“Breonna, they broke into the wrong house and shot you. Until you have justice we will not stop marching,” another activist said in a ragged voice, recalling this 26-year-old girl who received eight shots from the police last March in Louisville (Kentucky), allegedly the product of a confusion and during a search for drug trafficking.

“In this revolution we are controlling the narrative as young people that we are, and we want to make sure that they listen to us and understand that we want to be successful, we want to live. We want to survive in this world, and we can only do it if (elected public officials) work with us Pier-Michel said on the margins of the march.

The activist noted that young groups like hers are “pushing agendas that only help black women” and that they recently went to Albany, the institutional capital of the state of New York, to “demand responsibility” and demand from Governor Andrew Cuomo the reform Police who have championed the protests.

Precisely this morning, the governor signed a historic law to reinvent the security forces, give them greater transparency, avoid abuses and fight racism, including the emblematic repeal of rule 50-A, which since 1976 prevented access to information and complaints. over agents, which according to their critics gave them immunity.

“This is a beginning, but only a beginning. A revolution does not happen only with a signature, it happens over time and achieving positive change. It is good that Governor Cuomo signs (the repeal) of the 50A, but we have to do more. Pier-Michel added.

The march had a diverse call, generally young, and among its attendees stood out a group of workers in the retail sector wearing the red shirts with the initials of their union (RWSDU), who came to “add voices against the constant murder of people black “, one of them pointed to Efe, Eno.

This protester stressed the importance of participating in organizations for the defense of workers, especially when belonging to minorities, and explained that after 18 years in the retail sector her experience shows that she has had to “work harder” than other white colleagues ” to be able to prosper “in his career.

Eno, making himself heard among slogans such as “Black Live Matter”, noted that in the US Black and other minority people have been “systematically” ignored, have been prevented from accessing “good jobs” and thus have had difficulty “accessing health services.”

“That is why we are the same community with a higher number of COVID-19 deaths,” stressed the woman, who wore, like the vast majority of those present, a mask, and who despite everything assured that “we can do much better if we can get public powers to support this fight. ”

After nearly three hours of marching through the affluent Upper East Side of Manhattan, and in parallel to other scheduled protests in the city, protesters arrived with their posters and energy at the residence of Mayor Bill de Blasio, Gracie Mansion, whom activists with their microphones asked to “protect their lives” so “one day they won’t have to leave anymore”. EFE-EPA

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