Peaceful protests take place at Heritage Park in Foley

By Jessica Vaughn
Posted 6/9/20

FOLEY - Two peaceful protests were held at Heritage Park in Foley last week, advocating for the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The protests saw many gathering on the sidewalks at the intersection of …

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Peaceful protests take place at Heritage Park in Foley

Posted

FOLEY - Two peaceful protests were held at Heritage Park in Foley last week, advocating for the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The protests saw many gathering on the sidewalks at the intersection of Highways 59 and 98 to spread their message to passersby.

Prior to the protests, organizers met with the Foley Police Department to iron out details of the events and to ask for police support during the gatherings.

“The police department will be on hand to support the event and also to ensure public safety for all involved,” Foley PD posted on Facebook prior to the protests.

Friday’s protest, titled United We Stand and organized by local Kiwii Barnett, began with prayer and a poem by a young community member. Afterwards protesters gathered on the sidewalks with signs and calls for equality, justice, and peace between all. Finally, the gathering ended when the crowd took a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds in remembrance of those who have lost their lives to violence.

“A lot of times, people say All Lives Matter, but can I tell you the truth? All lives can’t matter if black lives don’t matter. All lives cannot matter if black lives do not matter,” said social worker Clarissa Lashá, speaker during United We Stand. “I know that we can all come together in this with unity, but unity can’t happen if you and I don’t come together.”

Lashá urged those present to take action within their community by learning the dates of town hall meetings and attending them to speak during public comment about issues facing the black community. If no one speaks out, city leaders have no way of knowing what’s happening within the community, she says.

Lashá spoke about self-care during these trying times, reminding everyone that taking care of one’s own mental, emotional, and physical needs was important.

“Emotions that you feel over the last three people that have been killed in a month, you have to release them,” she said. “I’m not saying negatively, I don’t want that, but through something that makes it better for you. Writing it down, listening to music, going running, working out, if you need to scream at the top of your lungs … You have to remember self-care, and make sure you get those feelings out.”