The rally called for solidarity with students and educators who faced the challenges of ignorance and racism, and a commitment to Black history education and the continued fight against the school-to-prison pipeline.
Black history month may have ended, but the commitment to black history education has not, said Senator Jesse Hamilton on Sunday at a Black Minds Matter rally in front of Medgar Evers College. Hamilton was joined by Senator Marisol Alcantara, educators, parents, students, community advocates and residents as well as various organizations including Lay the Guns Down Foundation, No Guns Smoke. The rally called for solidarity with students and educators who faced the challenges of ignorance and racism, and a commitment to fight the school-to-prison pipeline.
"Laws that make a meaningful difference in the lives of New Yorkers are my guideposts. These laws mean New York no longer routinely treats children as adults in our justice system, they mean higher pay and better workplaces, and they mean the uplift of New Yorkers' dignity and well being," said Hamilton. "Our Black Minds Matter rally is one part of this broader effort to advance the inclusion of all New Yorkers."
In his remarks, Hamilton emphasized a collective, enduring commitment to black minds and education, through advocacy and partnership with parent leaders and community organizations to support education.
"Our commitment to W. E. B. DuBois High School, right here in Crown Heights, a school the Department of Education planned to close and remove W. E. B. DuBois' name — a name with a deep connection to Brooklyn and a civil rights hero — our commitment to W. E. B. DuBois High School endures. Our commitment to Medgar Evers College Preparatory School, a school the Department of Education tried to dismantle - 0ur commitment to Medgar Evers College Prep endures," said Hamilton. "Black History Month 2018 may have ended, but our commitment to Black History education endures."
Hamilton was joined by Malcolm Xavier Combs, who sought to have the name "Malcolm X" put on his senior sweater at Christ the King High School; Bertha Lewis, founder and president of the Black Institute; and Akeem Browder, brother of Kalief Browder, justice system reform advocate and president of the Kalief Browder Foundation.
Take a look at photos from yesterday's rally. Photos are courtesy of the office of Senator Jesse Hamilton.
