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June 10, 2020
Say I saw it in The Shopper
Young Black Men Hold Event to Protect Their Community
Cameron Sanchez, CJ Wilson, and Jawaan Dorch are Lansing residents who care about their community. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma) –––––––––––––––––––––––
MELANIE JONGSMA On June 7, threee young black men, Cameron Sanchez, Chawn “CJ” Wilson, and Jawaan Dorch decided to act to protect their community and invited others to choin them. Students and graduates of TF South, they are admired by their teachers, loved by their moms, earnest about following God, and protective of Lansing, the community they call home. When news of last Sunday’s riots began spreading, Sanchez, Wilson, and Dorch reacted. “We were like, ‘No, that’s not what we do here. We’re not gonna do that. That’s not what we’re about,’” remembered Wilson. The violence did reach Lansing, though most Lansing businesses did not sustain the same level of damage and loss that neighboring towns did. They wish they could have done something to prevent the violence before it reached Lansing, and they are frustrated that anyone thinks damaging local businesses will help solve the problems represented by George Floyd’s May 25 death. “What does [looting] do?” they asked. “How does that help?” “You tear down a business—and then expect for a cop to be on your side?” said Wilson, “then you must be confused, ’cause it does not help anything.” Instead, he said, “When you come together and you’re able to talk with each other and be one with each other, that makes everybody feel more comfortable.” One reason Sanchez, Wilson, and Dorch wanted to stage some kind of public statement was to protect the reputation of their hometown. They want the world to know that the damage
was down by outsiders, not locals. And they want to prevent misinformation and wrong assumptions from creating division in diverse communities that currently look out for each other. “Every other city,” Wilson generalized, “decided they wanted to be aggressive and violent. That’s not what Lansing is about.” “Our overall goal is to spread peace,” said Sanchez about the protest he and his friends organized in Lan-Oak Park on Friday, June 5. They started on social media with a simple invitation: “Peaceful Protest,” the time and location, some basic instructions, and their Instagram handles. They had a general idea of marching south along Torrence Avenue and east on Ridge Road, ending at Lansing’s Clock Tower. Village Trustee Saad Abbasy saw the post and messaged one of the young men. “I just said, ‘I’m a Trustee, I love that you want to do this. Can I just put you in touch with our police chief so that they can just help you and out make sure things are handled well,’” explained Abbasy. The young men accepted the help, and they met with the Lansing Police Department on Thursday, June 4. LPD worked with the young men to create an event that would be public, peaceful, and protected. At 9:00am Friday, Mayor Patty Eidam went door-to-door in the Lan-Oak Park neighborhood, personally explaining to residents that an organized peaceful protest would be taking place in the park. She rang each doorbell along 180th Street, Oakley Avenue, 178th Street, and Arcadia, and spoke to each homeowner who opened the door. If no one answered, Mayor Eidam left a letter describing the upcoming event. The letter read, in part: “These young people...have notified the Lansing Police Department and the Mayor’s office of their intentions to protest peacefully. “…As your mayor, it is my responsibility to provide for the safety and well-being of your property. Part of that responsibility includes notifying you of protests like this, which is why I am personally hand delivering it to your house. “While recognizing the rights of citizens to assemble and enjoy the freedoms of speech and expression, please know that it must be done peacefully and not infringe on others’ rights. The Lansing Police Department will be on hand to ensure the protest remains peaceful.” At 1:30pm the young men, Lansing police, and several volunteers began setting up shade tents and tables in the northwest corner of Lan-Oak Park. Friends, family members, and TF South teachers unloaded cases of water, soda, and snacks that had been donated for the event. Wilson, who works at OooWee Chicken & Ribs (18155 Roy Street in Lansing), had asked owner Avery Hall if he could purchase 100 wings for possible participants, and Hall donated the wings instead. Small groups of people holding handmade signs and posters began arriving and assembling. TF South was unofficially represented by District 215 Superintendent Teresa Lance, District 215 Board Member Rich Dust, Principal Jake Gourley, and others. Village Trustees Maureen GradyPerovich and Saad Abbasy introduced themselves to Sanchez, Wilson, and Dorch and offered their encouragement. Lansing police met with the young men and explained they would be available as needed. “These are some good kids,” Detective Lt. Al Phillips said. “Some very good kids.” The crowd included families, groups of teens, and members of the 1960s generation known for protests and social justice—men and women, young and old, black, brown, and white.
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