On June 1st, Ossining teenagers Chyanne Bell, Leila Kilion, Cassandra Rios and Nadine Zeidan (all in their freshman year of college except for Leila Kilion who is a junior in high school), decided to plan an independently organized Black Lives Matter peaceful protest.
Through social media and with the help of the community they were able to pull off in less than a week one of the most significant events Ossining has seen in years. Thousands of people young and old gathered around the Louis Engel Waterfront Park stage supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Ossining Police supported the demonstration and supplied masks and water bottles for those who needed them.
After listening to speeches and musical performances, attendees marched from the Waterfront through Main Street to Nelson Park, where more speeches and performances were held.
It was a peaceful and powerful event; a community coming together to show solidarity and support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
“We organized this event to raise awareness and do our part in stopping systematic racism. All people deserve to be able to walk down the street or drive to the store without fearing for their lives. All people deserve to be treated equally and right now black lives are in danger. Our justice system works against them, treats them unfairly, punishes them more severely, and wrongfully kills them. #Blacklivesmatter that is why we came together to organize Ossining’s Black Lives Matter Peaceful Protest 2020.”
Click on one of the images below to see the gallery of photos from the day.
Video by Kelly Lynn Cassidy