Beacon4Black Lives Community Responds To Attempted U.S. Election Certification Block At Capitol Building
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After the sun went down on the blocked Election Certification attempt at the nation’s Capitol, Beacon4Black Lives organized an impromptu and peaceful vigil at Pohill Park, Beacon’s destination for public gatherings. They brought a projector and screen to project the news onto a screen. Stefon Seward, one of the original members of Beacon4Black Lives and current committee member on Beacon’s Police Chief Search, was one of the first to speak about the difference between the white people storming the Capitol who seemed to do it with ease and no punishment, versus Black people who get shot in the back sometimes in front of their children.
A handful of speakers spoke, including Xavier Mayo, a founding member of Beacon4Black Lives, sharing a story of him getting pulled over yesterday twice for a tail light being out, and of the two different emotional experiences he went through when pulled over by two different police officers. The experience with the first officer was normal and helpful as to how to fix a tail light, yet the second experience invoked fear as the officer smirked and laughed at Xavier when the he said he felt afraid.
Justice McCray, who is also a founding member of Beacon4Black Lives, spoke about how Black people are treated differently and how basic needs for some Beaconites are not being met, and how the Black community in Beacon does not feel safe with police. Justice is connected to several food insecurity initiatives like the Community Fridge, and is an advocate for community safety in new ways. “We’re here to build something better. What’s happening now is not OK, and is a slap in the face of democracy.”
Paloma Wake also spoke, who is a member of Beacon4Black Lives and has been involved in several Beacon based organizations including the Beacon Farmers Market when she was its manager. She currently holds a seat and is the Vice Chair on Beacon’s Human Relations Commission.
Other speakers included former regular participants of past protest marches down Main Street over the summer in favor of Black lives mattering more, as well as the protest of the Beacon 2021 budget.
One speaker was new to the group, after moving to Beacon recently. He said that having been down in the dumps earlier, he turned to his wife and they agreed to come down to the vigil. He expressed happiness that he came, and sadness at the new life navigations he needed to make with his family who are Trump supporters and he is not. He expressed dismay at not being able to communicate with them because of their political differences, which was a choice he made, after not being able to tolerate tolerance any longer.
Beacon Councilperson for Ward 4, Dan Aymar-Blair, spoke about his experience during the day with his child at home who was asking questions about democracy. Dan has a BA in Political Science and Government and stated that while watching the events unfold, he expressed desire to explore his own relationship with democracy, as he tried to answer his son’s question.
The day seemed to have launched a deep dive for many as events developed. Listen to all of the stories and speeches at the vigil here at Beacon4Black Lives Instagram.
