By Minal Singh
Northwest Asian Weekly
Rally gathers at Garfield High School (Photo by Minal Singh/NWAW)
On January 19, 2015, a large crowd gathered at Garfield High School <!–more–>in Seattle to rally and march on behalf of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and the continued struggle that faces the United States as a result of Ferguson and the series of deaths of unarmed black citizens by police officers, including Eric Garner and Mike Brown.
The opening ceremony convened in the Garfield Gymnasium to a packed house where religious leaders and activists spoke in celebration of King’s dream for equality and protested against a current climate that reveals racism still deep in American culture. Jelani Brown said “Race is a social construct. Nothing more. There is one race. The human race.”
Photo by Minal Singh/NWAW
Outside, as marchers gathered for a rally, more speakers took the stage. Louis Watanabe spoke to the crowd. “You (the audience) are the legacy of Dr. King,” he said. Mayor Ed Murray and Governor Jay Inslee showed up at the rally to lend their support.
The march began at Garfield High School and the crowd moved downtown through Capitol Hill and the International District, making stops at the Youth Detention Center, Yesler Terrace, King County Jail, the Seattle Police Department, and the Federal Courthouse, where noted city officials made speeches.
Throughout this nonviolent march, participants raised signs, including the one provided by the planning committee that read “Fight for your rights in 2015.” Marchers chanted the now ingrained slogans of “Whose lives matter? Black lives matter.” (end)
Minal Singh be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.