I’m not wondering anymore if it was meaningful to take part in the Black Lives Matter protest yesterday. I know it was. Mostly because I can feel it. It felt good to do, good to be a part of.
There were over 100 people lining the sidewalk on the corner of Main Street and Route 22, which I found impressive. All holding signs, mostly white people but not all, from babies being held by their mothers to white-haired couples who looked like they protested in the 1960s or looked like they didn’t.
I was surprised to see the local police as well as State Troopers there. And for a while, a drone hovered overhead.
I stood next to Connie who owns Battenkill Books, and when two guys one wearing a Confederate flag bandana started yelling “All lives matter”, we all chanted “Black Lives Matter” louder, drowning them out.
That felt pretty good.
A few people gave us “the finger” as they drove by, but most people either ignored us or honked their horns in support.
I feel connected to our little town and was glad to see it represented in this way. Glad to see I’m among so many people who believe Black Lives Matter is a just cause. I don’t think this would have happened even just a few months ago.
And I do feel like we were doing something important.
All those people driving by (there was a lot more traffic on a Sunday night than I would have imagined) who either looked at us or tried to ignore us, maybe we made them think a little or even feel something they hadn’t before.
There is power in coming together in the way we did. And knowing that our small protest is a part of something bigger makes it even more meaningful. As each individual voice counts, all the individual protests, no matter how small, is greater than the whole.
Thank you for participating. Though small in numbers you are powerful in spirit and an example to the rest of the country that small can definitely be powerful.
I think it’s true what you say about how powerful “small” can be.
You go girl!