(14:09:00) Pre March Etiquette.

Speaker [00:02:01] Folks, if you can hear me clap once! If you can hear me clap twice! if you can hear me clap 3 times!

Speaker [00:02:08] All right. Thank you very much, South Plainfield. We're gonna start introductions by Savannah Storm. I'm going to go over protest ettiquette.

Speaker [00:02:14] That's Chris. That is me speaking. And then afterwards, I'm going to have Khalil and Zair leading the march to the POW and then back to school building. Once that is done, you'll be doing an eight minute forty six second moment of silence for George Floyd at the municipal building. And will marching back here to continue the rest of our itinerary. Sound cool folks?[Yeah] Alright folks lets give it up for Savanna!

Speaker [00:02:30] Hi, welcome, everyone to South Plainfield first ever march for black lives. My name is Savanna, I have been a resident of this town for 25 years. And I want to say this is a very long time coming. [Yes, it is.] First of all, I'd like to thank everybody who helped me, Chris of course and I also had Lennay, Khaleel, lovely, Mellisa, and Ziar. So in round of applause for them as well. And also I would like to thank the South Plainfield officials and administration for being very cooperative and helping us get this together as safely as possible as well.

Speaker [00:03:16] Most importantly, I wanted to thank everyone who came out to show their support. This is amazing that we are all here in South Plainfield, especially together as a community. And everybody else who came from not South Plainfield, Thank you too. I want to say first and foremost, I will never understand the oppression and discrimination black people are facing on a daily basis in this country. As a white woman of cis background, I do not know your struggle personally, but it does not mean I'm going to unite you, my voice and that privilege to fight for you every single day. We don't have to do this fight anymore.

Speaker [00:03:52] So if everyone is ready, we can start marching!

Speaker [00:04:16] South Plainfield if you can hear me clap once! Clap twice!

Speaker [00:04:22] So, my name is Christian, I graduated here 2015. I'm now current teacher at Dallas, Texas. I am a master's student at Johns Hopkins. And the reason I'm here is because I'm a teacher. Specifically I teach at a title one school, low income, urban, diverse education. And I want to speak out on the systemic issue regarding education, because my issue with these states is they are using these test scores to determine whether our children are ready to be citizens, quote unquote, or at risk. And we all know truly what at risk actually means.

Speaker [00:04:52] So the reason why I'm speaking is because I've been active for a while and I really want to go protest ettiquete in order to make sure this is as racially and culturally competent as possible. So my first rule is, and this is specifically really for people who are not black. This protest ettiquete, does not make sense. Remember, this is their march, not ours. So, rule number one, do not start chants. You may join them, but you may not join all of them.

Speaker [00:05:19] Listen to the messages the organizers want to share instead of sharing your own. That goes to my point to. Some chants are not for you. Hands up. Don't shoot. I can't breathe. We're using the black power fist. Not everything is for white folks. Even those who show up in solidarity. Being choked and shot are not things happening to white folks in the same way as they are to black folks. We do not get to say it. The black power fist falls under this too. These are tied to the black experience of the black resistance that are not for appropriation.

Speaker [00:05:55] Number three. Stop saying things seem to be peaceful or calm for you to get involved. I'm just gonna say this again. This is their protest. We do not have a right to be talking about how black people are feeling or validate there experiences. That's just simply put. Do not escalate things. Pay attention South Plainfield. I know some of you like to pick a fight.

Speaker [00:06:19] We are all upset, angry, at these senseless and inhumane murders. That's part of why we're showing up. Even so, if you incite law enforcement, Ultimately you will disproportionately, harm the people of color there. Follow the organizers' lead and be willing to put yourself in front of things that you are willing to put in front of yourself if things start to get heated. Use your privilege, folks.

Speaker [00:06:39] Allies to the front. There may come a time in the protest where you need to put yourself between a black person, person of color or someone else who is vulnerable. Law enforcement or an alt-right creed. You have privilege and this is how you can use it. Grab other white folks and link arms, make a human chain. It's going to seem scary, but this is where we need to be willing to do. If it comes to that, I expect this to be peaceful. But if it comes to that, we need to use a privilege to protect the people here.

Speaker [00:07:09] Let's see, I have three more. I should. Get off your phone. You need to keep your focus on the protest and the messages that are being shared. You need to join in the chanting and be present. This is not a time to post to social media to make it about yourself. The one exception may be to document and account to law enforcement.

Speaker [00:07:27] And finally, I strongly discourage to talk to the press. We honestly know how the press can manipulate our stories. We're trying to advocate for peaceful cause or trying to advocate for change that is outdated since the existence of this country. That is all we have today, folks. But besides that, safe marching and "WooHaa! Tigers!"

Speaker [00:07:54] Actually one more thing in order to make sure we're accommodating to people with disabilities and health concerns, that they do not have to do the march to Maple Ave. They can take safe haven here at Veterans Memorial Park. When we come back from the march from Maple Ave we will get the rest of the friends here to march to the municipal building.

Speaker [00:08:22] If I could have my dad up here, he's actually going to be leading anybody who has disabilities or is concerned about walking the distance directly to the police station. Him, and my friend Mandy's Mom.

Speaker [00:08:37] Anybody who has a disability or can't walk as far as everybody else, can stay in the march. We're going to have my father here leading everybody directly to the police station and that is where they are going to be at so everybody can do the 8 minutes together. Is that clear? Everybody else it going to follow Zair ... directly to the POW building. And then to the police station, is that clear. All right. Now, Let's go!