Hundreds of New Yorkers marched in memory of those who have lost their lives to COVID-19, showing those passed were more than a statistic, but were mothers, fathers, daughters, husbands, brothers, sisters and many more.
Marchers left Barclays Center on Friday evening and made their way to Trump Building on Wall St holding signs, photographs and candles for those passed and demanding justice in March For The Dead.
The march was a chance for families and friends to share stories of those passed and express their grief and frustration, March For The Dead organizer Martin Quinn.
"So many people have died in the United States and their deaths haven't been acknowledged by the federal government or the president or a lot of other politicians as well," Quinn said.
"They're treated as invisible and probably because it hit Black, Latin and elderly communities the hardest and they get ignored in the United States anyway."
Quinn, who lost his father to COVID-19 related symptoms last week, said as an activist with friends and family who had died from COVID-19, he wanted to funnel his frustration into something positive.
"We thought by drawing attention to the fact that 170,000 plus people have died and there are names behind those numbers, coupled with demands for better policies going forward would be an effective message."
Quinn said the marchers wanted President Donald Trump to resign immediately, saying, "It's a travesty he hasn't fulfilled his duties as president and he needs to go this minute." He said they were also demanding that policy be based on science, as many immigrants and incarcerated folks to be released from detention as possible and for the eventual vaccine to be free for all.
"Our demands are designed to save as many lives as possible."
Quinn said the march, which was planned with COVID Families, struck a nerve across the country with many reaching out to the organizers wanting to be involved. Quinn said March For The Dead would continue to hold events locally and nationallyand fight for policy change and action for those who had died.
