Two current Wells College students and close friends helped coordinate the Rally for Black Lives, Seneca Falls’ first public demonstration since the death of George Floyd while being held in police custody in Minneapolis.
Idalis Abad, a woman of color has been even targeted this Wednesday with a death threat directed to her while preparing for this Saturday’s proceedings.
“I’ve been dealing with this sh*t for like my whole entire life. I’m used to it. Unfortunate as that is like, I’m a person of color in the United States. I get treated horribly like this a lot,” Abad told FingerLakes1.com.
Despite some hostility and pushback as shown through receiving a death threat, she and other organizers are still pressing forward with their plans ahead of tomorrow by promoting a peaceful protest – one that unites Seneca Falls.
The rally in support of the larger national Black Lives Matter movement is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 8th in the People’s Park.
Wearing masks and maintaining social distancing practices are supposed to be strictly enforced and even required throughout the duration of the entire event.
On today’s Daily Debrief, Abad and Emmerich Hauf explain why sparking a protest movement in Seneca Falls matters, even in a predominantly white community.
Gabe covered health and indigenous affairs in the Finger Lakes between 2019 and 2022. His award winning coverage was cited by the federal government and provided residents with an invaluable service during the coronavirus pandemic.