Four Evanston youth leaders are spearheading an "Evanston for Black Lives" march this Sunday, May 31, beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Church and Ridge and ending with a rally at Evanston Plaza (Church and Dodge) at 3 p.m.
Liana Wallace, Amalia Louiseau, Sinobia Aiden, and Nia Williams say they have planned an action that will adhere to social distancing and safety guidelines given the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We truly understand the devastation that COVID-19 has brought upon families and communities. We in no way want to jeopardize the safety of Evanston and the surrounding community, and for these reasons we have clearly thought out the intended measures to ensure that this demonstration adheres to the advice of medical professionals in dealing with COVID-19," said Liana Wallace.
"That being said, this demonstration is essential business. Black lives have not only been lost at extreme rates during this pandemic, but they have also been brutally taken away due to the effects of racism and police brutality. The terrorization of Black lives has been an existing pandemic that the United States has yet to address for centuries."
The march and rally are in response to the recent murders of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, Breona Taylor in Louisville, KY, and Ahmaud Arbery in a south Georgia suburb, as well as to an incident this week in Evanston where police officers were video-taped chasing, tackling, and arresting a Black youth who was filming the arrest of a friend, organizers say.
All attendees are required to wear a mask. For those who are not comfortable attending the march and/or rally, organizers plan to stream the action via FaceTime Live.
Find out more at their FB event page here.
