MINI
FEATURE SUMMER 2020
The Future of York Through a Friendship of Activism Story by: Jonathan Desmarais, Marketing Communicatons Manager Downtown Inc Photography by: Nathan Aaron and Jonathan Desmarais
“Stick together as a community. You are enough for the movement. Your voice matters.” These are the words of young York City activist Arlette Morales, in sharing her reflections on organizing the peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in Downtown York’s historic Continental Square in the wake of the murder of George Floyd with her friend and fellow activist, Tzipporah Goins.
TAKING A STAND
The families of young activists Goins and Morales moved to York, PA to seek opportunity. In recent years, these two young women have taken the opportunity to not only invest in their futures but the future of the community that they call home. First meeting as 2nd Graders at Logos Academy in York City, Goins and Morales didn’t always see eye to eye, but in finding their commonality of pursuing social justice, they have found themselves closer than they ever have before. Not yet 18 years old, Goins and Morales have a world of experience and passion, and it is clear that York has been foundational in their journeys. As an immigrant from Mexico, Morales has been committed to meeting the needs of society’s marginalized, particularly those who are undocumented and under resourced. Morales first began working with the local chapter of CASA in 2014. The mission statement of CASA is “to create a more just society by building power and improving the quality of life in working class and immigrant communities.” In partnership with CASA, Morales has felt empowered to speak up and have her voice heard. After the 2016 election, this passion fueled her to speak at rallies at both the PA State Capitol and the White House, an interview with the NY Times, and a meeting with presidential hopeful, Bernie Sanders. While she has not experienced the same political encounters as her friend, Goins has always been a driven and passionate young woman. When she was first asked by Morales to join her in her activism, she was unsure, but as the inequity of the racial divide in her community and in the country became more apparent, she could not refuse.
In seeking to unify the community, they have a simple message for those who are unsure if they want to visit Downtown York; it’s all about perspective and the power of diversity. For being a small city, York has so much to offer. For both, First Fridays and especially the Latino First Fridays are an excellent demonstration of the beauty of York City; a coming together of various people groups in common celebration. Goins and Morales have not yet begun their senior year of high school. With the passion and dedication that would be expected of somebody of their parents’ generation, both young women still make it clear that they leave some time to enjoy their teenage years. From attending community-wide Pride dances, hanging out with friends at a First Friday event, or grabbing a bite to eat in Downtown York, Goins and Morales are proud to call York City home and eager to see what the future holds.
At the June 2 Black Lives Matter protest, both on the stage as well as in the crowd, Goins and Morales were intentional in representing a diverse community. As the organizers of the event, they wanted to recognize the common humanity in all. Morales, a Latinx woman, sometimes felt that, “she wasn’t enough to do a movement as a Mexican.” But she went on to explain that, “it doesn’t matter, we can be in this together. Black people fought with her to fight for her community and how they are fighting for each other’s community.” For Goins, her Southeast Asian and Black identity help her realize the power of intersectionality and how she can connect with others. In assembling an inclusive and welcoming rally, the voices of LGBTQ+, police officers, POC, and white people, were all recognized and embraced. For both Goins and Morales, they enjoy the close proximity of the Downtown community, the support of POC businesses, and the level of diversity that not many small cities can offer. However, they are not content for the status quo to remain. They recognize that gentrification has played a role in instilling inequity within the community. They agree that it’s great to visit some up and coming neighborhoods with many food options, art exhibits, and music venues, but they do not want to see it come at the expense of people being priced out of their own neighborhoods. Speaking about the displacement of people, Goins explains that, “it will be beneficial for the community to understand it,” as she “hopes for small individual changes to implement long-lasting change.”
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