I’m here because I have to be.
I’ve been silent too long.
The racism here is subtle but it’s alive.
Those were just a few of the comments from organizers and participants in the first Black Lives Matter rally in Belleville, held on Sunday night.
Close to a thousand people gathered at the Salvation Army/Bibles for Missions and marched down Front Street to the parking lot across from City Hall to not only make their voices heard, but to show that they will no longer tolerate racism in our community.
Kenna Bowman and Daniel Kassa told Quinte News they were proud of the support shown by the community, during a Black Lives Matter rally in Belleville, on June 7, 2020. (Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
The march involved community members young and old and of every demographic; Caucasian, Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour.
Sydney Jarvis, one of the first speakers at the event says when her friend Kayla came up with the idea, she knew she needed to be involved.
Organizer Sydney Jarvis speaks to a crowd of about 1,000 people, during a Black Lives Matter rally in Downtown Belleville, on June 7, 2020. (Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
Jarvis’s mother is Guyanese and her father is Scottish and she said she can’t hide that she is a Person of Colour, but for a long time, she was made to think her skin colour determined her future.
She says both her daughter, and the fact that the death of George Floyd can be filmed and people still have to fight for the arrest of the officers involved, inspired her to be there at the rally.
Jarvis told the crowd she grew up in the area in a small town and while racism might not be as in your face here as it currently is south of the border, she was a victim of bullying in high school because of her skin colour.
At the end of the day, she hopes this rally starts the conversation and those who identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Colour see how many allies they have in the community and are willing to stand up and support them.
Young supporter RJ shows his support for the Black Lives Matter movement, at a rally outside of Belleville City Hall, on June 7, 2020. (Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
Seventeen-year-old Aly Anna felt this cause was something everyone in the community needs to be involved in.
Mieke, a grandmother and an activist was told by her daughter not to participate in the rally because of her health issues but this grandmother says she had to be there.
She says her heart has been crying since the death of George Floyd and every time something like this happens.
She told Quinte News she hopes this rally, and those being held in many other cities and countries, is a worldwide movement that will make people stop.
Mieke says we have to deal with people as people because we are all the same.
Gabby, a participant in the event, addressed the crowd and said this rally is about action being taken to address the racism issues at hand.
Belleville Police escorted the marchers to the parking lot from the Salvation Army, as well as followed the end of the march but no other police presence was noticeable during the rally.
You can click here to see a gallery of photos from the event.
A transport truck leads a parade of Black Lives Matter supporters through the Belleville Downtown District, on June 7, 2020. (Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
