Good morning bloggers,
So after pleading with my nephew about the unsafe environment of where he wants to protest & march, he successfully organized a rally & march in Newark. I was not going to attend because I worked the night before, but, I wanted to support him & my sons were also attending.
Most of my children & my nephew were born & raised in Newark, NJ. We were the first hispanic family on my block in the southward, on Weequahic Avenue & Maple Avenue- specifically. Back in 1985 it was a culture shock for our surrounding neighbors, they @ first were not as friendly. I had allot of issues @ school because I was the only Latina in my class. My high school, Weequahic, was predominantly African American I was the only Latina attending during that era. I, unfortunately did not graduate, I winded up having my first born my senior year then second & third born consecutively. I did raise all 5 of my kids in Newark, until I met my ex-husband then moved to Bloomfield, then eventually West Orange- where we bought our first house.
Now back to the rally/march, we had started the rally @ University High School on Clinton place & off of Clinton Avenue. I had not been there in years, upon arriving @ our destination, I noticed it was like a time capsule! Not much has changed, I was disappointed to see that the neighborhood has not progressed & has become stagnant.
I'm not sure if my nephew had put out fliers within the community for this protest/rally/march. But, we were definitely not welcomed there, we were told that we were not from there, that police brutality did not exist in that neighborhood & they basically stopped us from marching to our final destination, which was the police precinct on Bergen & Clinton! We were literally 1 block away when they formed a line & started attacking us verbally & physically! I had to be held back by my nephew & other protesters & reminded that we were a peaceful group. Don't get it twisted, I never claimed Newark as my hood, but I lived there long enough to know how they get down & I never backed down! Especially when it comes to the safety of my boys!
Needless to say, I had to remind myself that this was the very reason I moved my family out of Newark! Not to say all of the residents are ignorant- just enough to make all of them look bad. We did have some residents that embraced our presence who cared for our safety, & even accepted the free items we bought: water, vegetables, feminine supplies, diapers, & wipes.
I couldn't understand why they didn't want us to stand up for equality & stand against police brutality. Maybe they were mad because they didn't think to organize & stand for something so important to our modern day society!?!?!? Is their ignorance that deep? Now I see why most of my high school associates migrated south.
Which gets back to my question: Is there a solution to this revolution?
So after pleading with my nephew about the unsafe environment of where he wants to protest & march, he successfully organized a rally & march in Newark. I was not going to attend because I worked the night before, but, I wanted to support him & my sons were also attending.
Most of my children & my nephew were born & raised in Newark, NJ. We were the first hispanic family on my block in the southward, on Weequahic Avenue & Maple Avenue- specifically. Back in 1985 it was a culture shock for our surrounding neighbors, they @ first were not as friendly. I had allot of issues @ school because I was the only Latina in my class. My high school, Weequahic, was predominantly African American I was the only Latina attending during that era. I, unfortunately did not graduate, I winded up having my first born my senior year then second & third born consecutively. I did raise all 5 of my kids in Newark, until I met my ex-husband then moved to Bloomfield, then eventually West Orange- where we bought our first house.
Now back to the rally/march, we had started the rally @ University High School on Clinton place & off of Clinton Avenue. I had not been there in years, upon arriving @ our destination, I noticed it was like a time capsule! Not much has changed, I was disappointed to see that the neighborhood has not progressed & has become stagnant.
I'm not sure if my nephew had put out fliers within the community for this protest/rally/march. But, we were definitely not welcomed there, we were told that we were not from there, that police brutality did not exist in that neighborhood & they basically stopped us from marching to our final destination, which was the police precinct on Bergen & Clinton! We were literally 1 block away when they formed a line & started attacking us verbally & physically! I had to be held back by my nephew & other protesters & reminded that we were a peaceful group. Don't get it twisted, I never claimed Newark as my hood, but I lived there long enough to know how they get down & I never backed down! Especially when it comes to the safety of my boys!
Needless to say, I had to remind myself that this was the very reason I moved my family out of Newark! Not to say all of the residents are ignorant- just enough to make all of them look bad. We did have some residents that embraced our presence who cared for our safety, & even accepted the free items we bought: water, vegetables, feminine supplies, diapers, & wipes.
I couldn't understand why they didn't want us to stand up for equality & stand against police brutality. Maybe they were mad because they didn't think to organize & stand for something so important to our modern day society!?!?!? Is their ignorance that deep? Now I see why most of my high school associates migrated south.
Which gets back to my question: Is there a solution to this revolution?
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