Black Lives Matter Protest | Newington, CT

On May 25th, 2020, an unarmed black man named George Floyd was killed after a police officer detaining him used a technique in which his knee was placed against his neck to subdue for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. This was only one of a series of deaths of black men and women that sparked National outrage and protests following. Many have called for reform of police departments and to look at society’s history of systemic racism that has plagued us as a country. Personally I believe that no system is perfect, and while I immensely support the many GOOD police officers and the sacrifices they make each day, it’s time to reflect on how we can all come together to make sure that everyone is treated the same regardless of skin color or otherwise. It’s time to stand up for those who are suffering because many of us, myself included, have simply been born into a privilege that doesn’t cause worry when simply walking into a store or down a street a certain way. Newington, CT came together for the Black Lives Matter Protest in a peaceful a positive way on June 4th, 2020. Hundreds met in the town center with signs, support, and stories to tell. We marched from the intersection of Main St and Cedar St around the block before speeches and a conversation with Police Chief Stephen Clark ended the event. I was so impressed that nearly everyone I came across wore a mask and was as conscious as possible of distancing when they could be. Since I was there with my family and have our own concerns about COVID-19, we stayed towards the back/side of the protest for the majority of the time. But I thought it was important to take our daughter to listen and understand and hopefully be part of the solution to make a change in our community. I also felt it important to photograph the event for those who could not attend. Here is a short photo essay of the event (more on my Facebook page).