Recent Southeast High School grad leads peaceful protest along Bradenton Riverwalk
Dozens of teens and young adults marched along the Bradenton Riverwalk on Monday in peaceful protest against police brutality against black Americans.
Several times along the way, they paused to stand in silence or take a knee for the nearly nine minutes — the amount of time former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee to George Floyd’s neck before he died.
Recent Southeast High School graduate Matthew Garcia organized the protest.
“I was feeling very helpless, like we can’t do anything to fix this,” Garcia said. “So I decided to stop feeling helpless and put something together because I saw so many things on social media saying, ‘Don’t be quiet. support the cause.’”
Garcia has watched as some protests across the country lead to riots and other violence, so he wanted to do his part to lead a peaceful protest. He spread the word on social media and enlisted the help of five friends from school. Others just joined to help support the cause.
“We hope mostly just to spread the word with basically acknowledging that police brutality is something that exists,” Garcia said. “That’s why we are here gathering, because non-violent protests can go successfully, do exist and we can make a difference.
Tayler Jackson, 20, of Ellenton, knows from personal experience the racism that exists in Manatee County. The Palmetto High School graduate said she has experienced it her entire life growing up here.
“It all started in first grade,” Jackson said.
Jackson recalled playing with two of her friends, one who was black and the other who was white, during recess one day.
“He literally told us that he wasn’t allowed to think that we were pretty because we were black,” Jackson said. “So that’s the first time I experienced racism. I looked at myself differently and realized I was black, and it was different to be black ever since then.”
The experiences made her stronger.
“It changes you,” Jackson said. “Now that I have gotten older, I’ve started to notice it more.”
With her own awareness, she is now trying to spread awareness to others and has dedicated her time over the past week to attending protests daily in Bradenton and Sarasota.
“I believe that black lives matter and I want to make that known, trying to make a change,” Jackson said.
Many walking along the Riverwalk showed support for the protest.
One elder woman, “Peace be with you. I agree with y’all.”
Another woman gave thumbs up. One man, a fist pump.
As they marched east, drivers along Riverside Drive East honked in solidarity.
Palmetto High School graduate Elijah Hart, 20, also decided to protest on Monday, tired of being worried for his father, who is half-black, when he leaves for work in the dark, early morning hours.
“He didn’t want me going to this protest. He was scared something was going to happen but my mom was all for it. She understands,” Hart said. “I just can’t believe it’s 2020 and racism still exists.”
