Justice for Tamir Rice
Written by Allison Reynolds-Berry
We gathered on the playground. We gathered in solidarity with people all over the state and the country seeking justice for Tamir Rice, killed by police who won’t be held accountable. Tuesday night, Findlay Playground was full of people rallying to make their voices heard. Black lives do matter. We gathered on a playground, the same setting where this 12 year old was murdered in Cleveland.
Too many times we hear the stories of black children, black women, and black men who are killed – the circumstances covered up by those in power working to protect their own rather than seeking the truth. If we truly seek to decrease violence in our communities, we must strive for justice and hold those who perpetuate violence accountable for their actions.
It was important for me to be there, to stand in solidarity with those who have suffered and continue to suffer brutality at the hands of white police officers. We belong to each other. We must stand with our brothers and sisters as a reminder that love is stronger than fear and hate and racism. We must continue to act on the principle that black lives matter as we hope for a different future, where not one more child or person is killed because of their race.