Black Lives Matter Rally ~ Amesbury MA

I was reticent about attending a rally tonight. I originally had planned to go to the one in Boston but changed plans last minute when I saw the Amesbury rally had switched to Tuesday as well. We’ve all seen the country understandably ignite into flames and protest over the last week since the murder of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers. Wanting to be out on the streets protesting is my first instinct. I’m outraged. But, we are in the midst of a global pandemic. So many awful things all at once. It’s hard to navigate. I ultimately decided to follow my heart and ended up grabbing my gear as the fear of getting and/or speading COVID-19 took a back seat to doing what I knew was right . I simply could not not show up and I’m so glad I did. It was tight spaced – yes – but every single protester had a mask. I worked my way in and out of the peaceful crowd stopping at times with tears to take it all in and chant too. The most moving part of the event was the “moment of silence” that turned into eight minutes and 46 seconds of complete quiet while the crowd of hundreds (maybe even a thousand?!) people took a knee with fists in the air. Cars circled the rotary waving their arms out the windows and two bikers rode through and did the same in solidarity. I know it was what I needed and I’m so grateful I showed up. We’ve got a long, painful way to go but tonight felt like a good and hopeful start. Here are few highlights.

“The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

#BLACKLIVESMATTER #NOJUSTICENOPEACE