Mason High School students organized, hundreds marched

Mason High School students organized, hundreds marched

ENDED HERE AT THE STEPS OF THEMASON MUNICIPAL CENTER.

AMASSIVE CROWD OF PEOPLE TURNEDOUT FOR THE PROTEST WHICH WASORGANIZED ENTIRELY BY MASONHIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ANDRECENT GRADUATES.THE MARCH WAS ABOUT A MILE ANDA HALF LONG AND STARTED ATCHRIST'S CHURCH JUST DOWNMASON-MONTGOMERY ROAD.

AS WESAID, SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLESHOWED UP TO STAND TOGETHERFOR RACIAL JUSTICE AND FIGHTAGAINST INEQUALITY-IT WAS AMUCH LARGER CROWD THAN THESTUDENT ORGANIZERS EXPECTED.THE PEOPLE WE SPOKE TO WEREENCOURAGED BY THAT TURNOUT ANDALSO BY THE DIVERSITY OF THECROWD.

DEMONSTRATORS SAY THEYARE CALLING FOR AN END TOPOLICE BRUTALITY AND THEY WANTTO PUT A STOP TO QUOTE"SYSTEMATIC RACISM IN OURCOUNTRY'S CRIMINAL JUSTICESYSTEM"."Living in a black body is alife sentence.

An eternalinterconnectedness that bringsboth joy and tragedy.

It couldhave easily been my dad oruncle or cousin or me with anofficer kneeling on myneck.""You say, 'well it doesn'thappen in Mason why did theyhave a protest here?'

Ithappens everywhere.

I wantpeople to be aware of what'sgoing on.

Know theirprivilege.

Know how they canhelp."ONE KEY MESSAGE FROMTHESE YOUNG ACTIVISTS IS TONOT LET MASON SETTLE FOR BEINGWHAT THEY CALL NON-RACIST.THEY WANT TO SEE PEOPLE IN THECITY FIGHT AND ACTIVELY WORKTO BE áANTI-RACISTá.AGAIN, THIS MARCH WASORGANIZED ENTIRELY BY THOSEHIGH SCHOOLERS AND THAT INITSELF WAS ENCOURAGING TO SOMEOF THE OLDER DEMONSTRATORS.THEY POINT TO THE YOUNGERGENERATION BEING THE ONECAPABLE AND DETERMINED TOFOLLOW THROUGH AND CREATEWIDESPREAD SYSTEMATIC CHANGE.LIVE AT THE MASON MUNICIPALCENTER, JB WCPO 9 NEWS.