KATIE LENDA
Staff Writer
Thousands of college-aged students have been participating in protests nationwide, seeking justice for racial inequality and police reform.
Several Fredonia students are among these protestors and have shared their personal experiences at different protests across the state.
Some of these students include senior Anaiya Smith and sophomore Alyssa Bump.
Their experiences vary depending on the location and size of the protest, but they all share a common ground — every protestor is advocating to change the systemic racism present in our country.
Sophomore journalism major, Alyssa Bump, has attended two protests, one in Olean and another in Wellsville.
Bump is from Cuba, New York, a small town southeast of Fredonia.
She expressed how people in rural communities often have a limited view of the world and can be very ignorant to issues such as race.
That being said, she was very pleased with the turnout at the Olean and Wellsville protests.
“Minus a few guys revving their trucks and waving the confederate flag, the protest in Wellsville was entirely peaceful,” Bump said.
Police were present the entire time even though the protest remained peaceful.
In Olean there was also police presence, but the peacefulness escalated to fighting at the end of the protest.
Before the protest began, an officer expressed his disgust with Derek Chauvin’s actions and mentioned that he respected the right to peacefully protest. He wished for the protest to remain peaceful.
However, an older white man began harassing protestors with his truck and was asked to leave by the police.
Shortly after, the same man returned in a different vehicle to continue harassing protestors — specifically black protestors.
Ultimately, this ignited a physical altercation and someone had to be escorted away in an ambulance.
Senior English major, Anaiya Smith, protested in Manhattan, specifically in Times Square and Union Square.
Smith had a vast array of experiences at these protests; she witnessed many moments of unity and respect, but also saw a black man being racially profiled and brutalized.
The Union Square protest was overall very peaceful, with no police presence in the beginning.
As the protest grew in size, officers began to march with the protestors, but Smith said the protestors and the officers did not interact with one another.
Smith also attended a rally in Times Square, where people were not only protesting and marching, but they were able to show their art, music, poetry and more.
There were a variety of different speakers at the rally, including celebrity Nick Cannon.
Despite these positive experiences, Smith was shaken up after witnessing a black man being tackled to the ground by police officers simply for fiddling with a camera.
Smith was able to record the altercation because the incident occurred directly in front of her.
“A lot of people think we exaggerate police brutality, but I had proof that people are being attacked without warning or reason,” Smith said.
Despite these violent attacks, a sense of unity and community remains a strong force throughout these protests.
At the Union Square protest, a girl fainted once protesters started marching.
Many individuals rushed to her help, halted their march and provided her with food and water.
“If the protests were as violent as the media makes them out to be, the girl would’ve been trampled,” Smith said.
She also said how in the midst of the Times Square rally, someone in the crowd needed medical attention.
A group of medical professionals that were in attendance immediately helped the person in the crowd.
From an ex-convict, to a doctor, to a college professor, to a poet, the rally generated very diverse activists.
Although she is not protesting in a major city, Bump says it is important to protest on a local level because it brings a national issue closer to home.
“In a small town that doesn’t have many people of color, it shows the severity of systemic racism in our country,” Bump said.
The diversity in these activists’ backgrounds demonstrates that racial issues are not just an issue for the people it oppresses; they are issues for humanity.
Protesting is arguably one of the most effective ways to get a message across to the public because it is a physical act of civil disobedience.
“People like and share my posts on social media, but I definitely felt more support from the old woman banging her pot against her windowsill as I walked by her during the march,” Smith said.
“I’ve been signing petitions, posting and donating, but there’s something about being actively present and surrounded by people with the same goals that just doesn’t compare.”
When discussing the importance of protesting, Bump said, “Protesting brings a national issue closer to home. Seeing people out in the streets chanting and advocating for change makes the gravity of the situation heavier.”
The passion and determination behind protestors’ motives for progessive change does not go unnoticed.
Knowing there are thousands of young people going out into the streets, unaware of what could happen to them provides a sense of hope for the future.
These protests are ongoing in thousands of different cities.
To get involved, follow activists in your local community to find out information on when and where you can protest.
