A Black Lives Matter rally event was held on Saturday, June 13, at Pineway Ponds Park in Spencerport. It was a peaceful event focused on listening to Black and allied students and alumni from Spencerport High School and creating a platform for the students and alumni to share their experiences and insights on the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. This event echoed the BLM movement’s message to share Black American experiences and fight for equity and justice for all.
Event organizers, Aylannie Campbell, a senior at Spencerport High School and president of Spencerport High School’s student organization, Declare Action to Shift Humanity (DASH 2 Change), and Danielle Montecalvo, a Spencerport High School alumna and returned Peace Corps volunteer who served in Madagascar from 2018 to 2020, ensured that this event was going to be a brave space with a peaceful and respectful atmosphere for all who attended. Campbell stated, “I am here today fighting for all Black lives in a community that is 93 percent white because I refused to be silenced. I refused to be dismissed, and I acknowledge that my Black life, feelings, and dreams matter.” Montecalvo added, “A threat to justice for the Black community is a threat to justice for us all.”
A goal of the event was to continue to move Spencerport forward as a community with positivity, inclusivity, and unity in support of its Black and People of Color communities. The event centered around student and alumni speakers from DASH 2 Change, a student organization that focuses on social justice issues and the inclusion of diverse groups in the community. The DASH 2 Change students and alumni spoke about their experiences being Black in America and the racism that they have experienced. In addition to Campbell and Montecalvo, other speakers included Vanessa Watson, Dania Subeh, Khalize Beamon, Greg Burke, and Rae Davis.
Campbell stated, “I spent the past four years at Spencerport High School, doing everything in my power to ensure no Black child will move through this school system or grow up in this community feeling as belittled, dismissed, and unheard as I did these past 12 years. I spoke on panels, I taught the people who were paid to teach me, I joined committees, I reconstructed the curriculum, and I always stood my ground even when it was just me versus an entire room full of adults.”
Montecalvo touched upon her experience with white privilege during her Peace Corps service in Madagascar. “I carried a heavy amount of privilege in Malagasy society, not just because I was American, but because I was white. When going out to a restaurant, I was often served first over my Black American and Malagasy colleagues. Going into a nice hotel, I was always treated with respect and was never questioned for loitering. Teaching in my university classroom, my authority was never questioned. Talking to my friends, students, and colleagues in Malagasy (which was far from fluent), my intelligence was never questioned. Because of my skin color, I was never questioned about being American. Unlike many of my Black American colleagues, who were often questioned about their intelligence, questioned for their authority when in the workplace, and questioned if they were really American.”
While Campbell and Montecalvo acknowledge that all lives do matter, they were clear to explain that this rally and movement is specifically focused on why Black Lives Matter and how allies can help.
During the event, attendees maintained social distancing and wore masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There was a snack and sanitation table with hand sanitizer, masks, water, and snacks for attendees and participants. A voter registration table was supported by the Monroe County Board of Elections. Attendees wrote positive messages in a Chalk the Walk area – a space for reflection, growth, and learning to promote the Black Lives Matter movement. There was also a guest performance from the Rochester-based group, Womba Africa, a drumming group from Ghana that was featured on America’s Got Talent, where attendees danced and engaged with the musicians. Conversations between attendees were encouraged at the conclusion of the event to build community connections and create a space for dialogue and self-reflection.
Organizers expressed gratitude for the support received from Chief Mears, the Ogden Police Department, Steven Lysenko and administrators and teachers from Spencerport Central School District, and student leaders and volunteers from DASH 2 Change and Spencerport High School that made the event possible.
The organizers encouraged all attendees to continue to do their part to fight racism and stand up for justice for all by advocating to local leaders and representatives and doing research and self reflection on how we, as a community, can all work to fight racism.
“We must take it upon ourselves to be armed with intelligence. We must take it upon ourselves to vote,” Campbell stated. “We have to understand that it is a privilege to learn about racism while there are people like you and me that have had the disservice of experiencing it the entirety of our lives. Although all of us being here should be the expectation, I want to thank you all for actively being a part of the solution.”
Montecalvo added, “Saying ‘I’m not racist,’ is not enough anymore. We must be actively anti-racist. Everyone can make a difference. Change starts with you.”
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Photos by Karen Fien
